Patent ID: 8723543

Claim:
A method of creating a probe structure for contacting an electronic components wherein the probe structure comprises a contact tip for contacting a first electronic component, a body portion that comprises a distal end that joins the contact tip and a proximal end that provides for mounting of the probe structure to a second electronic component wherein a bonding material is provided for attaching the proximal end to the second electronic component, the method comprising: a) forming at least a portion of the body portion from one or more multiple material layers of electrodeposited material, wherein at least one of the multiple materials is at least one structural material and wherein at least another one of the multiple materials is at least one sacrificial material and wherein at least a plurality of the multiple materials are planarized to set a boundary level for each layer that forms a portion of the body portion, and wherein the body portion comprises at least one of the at least one structural material; b) forming a body of a bonding material from one or more multiple material layers of electrodeposited material, wherein at least one of the multiple materials is at least one bonding material and wherein at least another one of the multiple materials is at least one sacrificial material and wherein at least a plurality of the multiple materials are planarized to set a boundary level for each layer that comprises the bonding material; and c) forming the contact tip from at least a portion of one or more multiple material layers of electrodeposited material, wherein at least one of the multiple materials is at least one structural material and wherein at least another one of the multiple materials is at least one sacrificial material and wherein at least a plurality of the multiple materials are planarized to set a boundary level for each layer from which the contact tip is formed, and wherein during electrodeposition the contact tip is formed from at least one of the at least one structural material, d) after forming the body portion, the body of bonding material, and the contact tip from one or more multiple materials layers, releasing the at least one structural material from the at least one sacrificial material to reveal the probe structure, wherein any successive multiple material layer or layers are formed and simultaneously adhered to a previously formed multiple material layer, and wherein forming of the body portion, the body of bonding material, and the contact tip may occur during formation of the same multi-material layer or layers or different multi-material layers.