Interconnecting assembly with conductive lever portions on a support film

The invention provides an interconnecting assembly including a main structure having first and second portions, an inner terminal on the main structure, a support film having first and second portions, an inner contact and outer terminal formed on opposing sides of the support film, a conductive lever portion on the support film and connecting the inner contact and outer terminal, wherein the inner contact contacts the inner terminal and the first portions are moved relatively towards one another so that the second portion of the film is pivoted together with the conductive lever portion and the outer terminal away from the second portion of the main structure, the outer terminal being depressible towards the main structure from a first position to a second position and returning to the first position when a force depressing the outer terminal is removed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1). Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to an interconnecting assembly and more specifically to an interposer.

2). Discussion of Related Art

Integrated circuits are formed on semiconductor wafers. The wafers are then sawed (or “singulated” or “diced”) to microelectronic dies, also known as semiconductor chips, with each chip carrying a respective integrated circuit. Each semiconductor chip is then mounted to a package, or carrier substrate, thereby forming an electronic package or a semiconductor package. The packages are temporarily connected to test sockets so that the integrated circuit can be tested before it is sold. The package is then mounted to a printed circuit board, which may then be installed into a computing system.

Interposers are often used during testing to ensure the electrical connection between the test socket and the package, as well as between the printed circuit board and the package. Such an interposer typically has a substrate with via holes therethrough and vias within the via holes to electrically connect the package to either the test socket or the printed circuit board. Springs can then be connected to the vias and the springs ensure uniform contact when they are depressed by contacts on the package or a printed circuit board.

If more range is required in a direction that the spring is compressed, then pogo pins are often used. The pogo pin is held between two halves of a substrate. Opposing ends of the pogo pin protrude through openings in the two halves. Such an interposer can be expensive because pogo pins themselves are expensive and the assembly methods that may be required are labor intensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an interconnecting assembly including a main structure having first and second portions, an inner terminal on the main structure, a support film having first and second portions, an inner contact and outer terminal formed on opposing sides of the support film, a conductive lever portion on the support film and connecting the inner contact and outer terminal, wherein the inner contact contacts the inner terminal and the first portions are moved relatively towards one another so that the second portion of the film is pivoted together with the conductive lever portion and the outer terminal away from the second portion of the main structure, the outer terminal being depressible towards the main structure from a first position to a second position and returning to the first position when a force depressing the outer terminal is removed.

The interconnecting assembly may further include an adhesive between the first portions to attach the first portion to one another.

The interconnecting assembly may further include a metal support on the support film, the adhesive attaching both the metal support and the first portion of the support film to the main structure, the first portion of the support film being depressed in an area between the metal support and the inner terminal.

The interconnecting assembly may include that the inner contact and the inner terminal form an interference fit.

The interconnecting assembly may further include an outer via connecting the conductive lever portion to the outer terminal.

The interconnecting assembly may further include a plurality of inner contacts and outer terminals formed on the opposing sides of the support film, and a plurality of lever portions on the support film and connecting a respective one of the inner contacts on a respective one of the outer contacts.

The interconnecting assembly may further include a plurality of inner terminals, wherein each inner contact contacts a respective inner terminal and the first and second portions are moved relatively towards one another so that the second portion of the film is pivoted together with the conductive portions and the outer terminals away from the second portions of the main structure.

The invention also provides a method of making an interconnect assembly, including positioning an inner contact on an inner terminal, moving a first portion of a support film on which the inner contact is formed relatively towards a first portion of a main structure on which the inner terminal is formed so that a second portion of a the film pivots together with an outer terminal and a conductive lever portion connecting the outer terminal to the inner contact away from a second portion of the main structure and attaching the first portions to one another.

The method may include that the first portions may be attached by an adhesive.

The method may further include simultaneously applying heat and pressure to the adhesive to soften the adhesive and allowing the adhesive to cool.

The method may include that the pressure may be applied with a shaping tool, further including securing the shaping tool t the main structure before allowing the adhesive to cool and removing the shaping tool from the main structure after the adhesive is allowed to cool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1of the accompanying drawings illustrates upper and lower shaping tools10U and10L and an interconnecting assembly in the form of an interposer12.

The interposer12includes a supporting substrate14, an upper adhesive layer16U, a lower adhesive layer16L, an upper interconnect structure18U and a lower interconnect structure18L.

The supporting substrate14includes a main structure20, upper and lower inner terminals22U and22L, and an inner via24. The main structure20has an upper surface with first and second portions26and28. The main structure20is made of an insulative material. The inner via24is in an opening of the main structure20extending from the upper surface of the main structure20to a lower surface of the main structure20in an area between the first portion26and the second portion28. The upper inner terminal22U is formed on the upper surface of the main structure20. The upper inner terminal22U is structurally connected to the inner via24and is larger than the inner via24. The upper inner terminal22U forms a step30above the first portion26.

Similarly, the lower inner terminal22L is formed on the lower surface of the main structure20and is structurally connected to the inner via24.

The upper and lower inner terminals22U and22L and the inner via24are all made of a conductive metal. Electric current can thus conduct through the inner via24between the upper and lower inner terminals22U and22L.

The upper interconnect structure18U has a support film32, a metal support34, an inner contact36, a conductive lever portion38, an outer via40, and an outer terminal42.

The support film32has first and second portions44and46and is made of a compliant, flexible, resilient, springable insulating material. The outer terminal42is formed on an upper surface of the second portion46of the support film32. The outer via40is formed through and opening in the second portion46of the support film32and is structurally connected to the outer terminal42. The conductive lever portion38and the inner contact36are formed on a lower surface of the second portion46of the support film32. The outer via40is structurally connected to the conductive lever portion38. The inner contact36and the outer terminal42have conductive particles formed thereon. The conductive particles may for example be metal-covered diamond particles.

The metal support34is formed on a lower surface of the support film32. The metal support34and the inner contact36form steps48and50, respectively, below a lower surface of the support film32in an area of the first portion44.

The adhesive layer16U is provided in the form of a sheet that does not have any adhesive qualities at room temperature. The upper adhesive layer16U is positioned above the first portion26of the main structure20. The upper interconnect structure18U is positioned over the main structure20and the upper adhesive layer16U such that the inner contact36is aligned with and above the inner terminal22U. A recess formed between the steps48and50is located to the left of the upper inner terminal22U and the second portion46of the support film32is positioned to the right of the upper inner terminal22U.

The upper shaping tool10U has a protrusion60that is positioned above the recess between the steps48and50. The upper shaping tool10U has recesses62and64to the left and the right of the protrusion60. A step66formed by the recess62is larger than a step68formed by the recess64.

The lower interconnect structure18L, lower adhesive layer16L and the lower shaping tool10L are a mirror image of the upper interconnect structure18U, upper adhesive layer16U and the upper shaping tool10U. Like reference numerals indicate like or similar components. Manufacturing of the interposer12will now further be described with reference to the upper interconnect structure18U, upper adhesive layers16U and the upper shaping tool10U. It should be understood that the manufacturing of the interposer12with respect to the lower interconnect structure18L, lower adhesive layer16L and lower shaping tool10L is similar.

Reference is now made toFIG. 2. An upper heat chuck70U is located against an upper surface of the upper shaping tool10U. A heater such as a heating element72within the upper heat chuck70U is used to heat the upper shaping tool10U. The upper heat chuck70U is then used to apply pressure to the upper shaping tool10U. A lower surface of the protrusion60makes contact with the first portion44of the support film32. Heat conducts from the protrusion60through the first portion44to the upper adhesive layer16U, causing the upper adhesive layer16U to soften. The upper adhesive layer16U then fills spaces between the metal support34, the first portion44of the support film32and the first portion26of the main structure20.

The softening of the upper adhesive layer16U and the pressure provided by the protrusion60causes the protrusion60to depress the first portion44of the support film32into the recess between the steps48and50. The inner contact36provides a pivot point on the upper inner terminal22U so that the second portion46of the support film32pivots upwardly, counterclockwise away from the second portion28of the main structure20. The pressure provided by the protrusion60also causes an interference fit between the inner contact36and the upper inner terminal22U. The conductive lever portion38and the outer terminal42pivot together with the second portion46of the support film32away from the main structure20. The recess64is deep enough so as not to restrict pivoting of the second portion46of the support film32away from the main structure20.

Referring toFIG. 3, the upper and lower shaping tools10U and10L have aligned openings72. A bolt74and a nut76are provided to secure the upper and lower shaping tools10U and10L to one another, and therefore to the supporting substrate14. The bolt74has a shank78and a head80. The shank78is inserted through the openings72and the head80rests on an upper surface of the upper shaping tool10U. The nut76is screwed onto thread82on the shank78and rests against a lower surface of the lower shaping tool10L. The entire assembly shown inFIG. 3is then allowed to cool to room temperature. Although passive cooling is described wherein the assembly ofFIG. 3cools in air at room temperature, it is to be understood that active cooling such as with cold water is also within the scope of the invention and that the assembly can also be allowed to cool with active cooling.

Once the assembly has cooled, the upper and lower adhesive layers16U and16L have again solidified and have adhered to all adjacent components. The nut76is then removed from the bolt74and the bolt74is removed from the openings72. The upper and lower shaping tools10U and10L are then removed from the interposer12.

FIG. 4shows the use of the interposer12to provide an electric connection between a device such as a socket100and a device such as an electronics wireframe package102. The socket100has a substrate104and a contact106. The electronics wireframe package102has one or more substrates108, a semiconductor chip109on the substrate108and a contact110on the semiconductor chip109. The contacts106and110are aligned with the outer terminals42. A force is then applied that moves the electronics wireframe package102towards the socket100. The contacts110and106move the outer terminals42relatively towards one another. The material of the support films32and the conductive lever portions38are sufficiently flexible so that they bend to allow for movement of the outer terminals42towards the main structure20, and to return to their original positions as shown inFIG. 3when the force is removed. The amount of deflection provided by the support films32is equivalent to that of a pogo pin having a length similar to a distance between contacting surfaces of the outer terminals42.

FIG. 5shows further details of one of the support films32. The support film32has a plurality of cutouts112formed therein, each corresponding to a respective semiconductor chip. A plurality of outer terminals42are formed along a periphery of a respective cutout112. Each cutout112has four main sides and a plurality of the outer terminals42are formed along a respective side of the cutout112. As shown inFIG. 6, a plurality of conductive lever portions38are formed along a respective side of each cutout112. It will be understood that each one of the outer terminals42make contact with a respective contact such as the contact110on a device. Similarly, inner terminal36is connected to a respective inner contact such as the upper inner terminal22U shown inFIG. 2.