Patent ID: 7152311

Claim:
A framed sheet for use in manufacturing a microelectronic component comprising: (a) a frame having an aperture and a structure; (b) a flexible sheet having oppositely-facing exterior surfaces and a first metallic layer at a first said exterior surface, a main region of said sheet extending across said aperture so that said sheet covers a substantially entire area of said aperture, said first exterior surface of said flexible sheet being bonded to said structure so that said frame holds said sheet in tension, said frame further having at least one contact opening extending through said structure, said sheet including at least one contact region aligned with said contact opening whereby said first metallic layer is exposed at said contact opening for engagement with an electrical contact during processing, the bond between the sheet and the structure including an inner bond region in the vicinity of said contact opening so that said inner bond region mechanically isolates the contact region from said main region of said sheet, whereby engagement of said electrical contact with said contact region of said sheet will not cause deformation of said main region.