Patent ID: 7439752

Claim:
A method of providing a plurality of semiconductor components within a single socket, comprising: providing the socket; said socket comprising a base, a lid on the base, and at least two retention mechanisms associated with the base and configured to retain at least two separate semiconductor components; the lid being movable to shift the retention mechanisms between retaining positions and non-retaining positions; shifting the retention mechanisms to the non-retaining positions; while the retention mechanisms are in the non-retaining positions, placing at least two different semiconductor components within the socket with one or more manipulators; the semiconductor components being optically aligned as they are placed within the socket, the optical alignment comprising utilization of an optical alignment tool; after the semiconductor components are placed within the socket and aligned, shifting the retention mechanisms to the retaining positions to retain the semiconductor components within the socket; after the retention mechanisms are shifted to the retaining position, releasing the semiconductor components from the one or more manipulators; placing a plurality of mechanical alignment nests within the socket prior to shifting the retention mechanisms to the non-retaining positions; the mechanical alignment nests being in one-to-one correspondence with the semiconductor components, and the placement of the semiconductor components within the socket comprising placing the semiconductor components within the mechanical alignment nests; and removing the mechanical alignment nests from the socket after the semiconductor components are placed within the socket and aligned.