Patent ID: 8917106

Claim:
A process of manufacturing an array of elastomer probes on a surface comprising the steps of: depositing a thin electrically conductive metal layer on the surface; forming a metal base for the probe upon the thin electrically conductive metal layer; forming a sacrificial structure in the likeness of the probe upon the thin electrically conductive metal layer; electrodepositing a sacrificial metal upon the thin electrically conductive metal layer and thereby enveloping the sacrificial structure in the sacrificial metal; planarizing the sacrificial metal and thereby exposing a top surface of the sacrificial structure; removing the sacrificial structure, thereby leaving a void in the sacrificial metal at the location of the sacrificial structure; forming elastomeric probe material into the void in the sacrificial metal; depositing a second metal layer upon the elastomeric probe material and the sacrificial metal; forming a metal pad upon the second metal layer using photolithography or electroforming; forming a metal contact tip structure upon the metal pad using photolithography or electroforming; electrodepositing a second sacrificial metal upon the second metal layer and thereby enveloping the metal pad and metal contact tip in the second sacrificial metal; planarizing the second sacrificial metal and thereby exposing a top surface of the metal contact tip; and removing at least part of: the second sacrificial metal, the second metal layer, the first sacrificial metal, and the thin electrically conductive metal layer.