Programmed material consolidation processes for fabricating electrical contacts and the resulting electrical contacts

Abstract

An electrical contact for use with a semiconductor device, a carrier, a probe card, or another substrate includes a dielectric core, a conductive coating on at least a portion of the core, or both that are at least partially fabricated by a programmed material consolidation process, such as, but not limited to, stereolithography, in which unconsolidated material is selectively consolidated in accordance with a program. The electrical contact may be flexible and resilient or it may be rigid. Protective structures may accompany flexible, resilient contacts to prevent deformation thereof beyond their elastic limits.

1 . A method for forming a contact for a semiconductor device component, comprising: 
 fabricating a core of the contact by selectively consolidating material in accordance with a program; and    coating at least a portion of the core with at least one layer comprising conductive material.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein fabricating comprises: 
 directing consolidating energy or radiation toward unconsolidated material.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein directing comprises directing the consolidating energy or radiation toward unconsolidated material comprising uncured photoimagable polymer.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein fabricating comprises stereolithographically fabricating the core.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein fabricating comprises: 
 forming at least one layer comprising unconsolidated material; and    at least partially consolidating selected regions of the at least one layer.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 repeating forming the at least one layer and the at least partially consolidating at least once.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein fabricating comprises fabricating the core to include at least a portion which is flexible and resilient.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein fabricating comprises fabricating the core to include an enlarged contact tip.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coating comprises substantially coating the core with the conductive material.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coating comprises forming a seed layer on at least the portion of the core.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming the seed layer comprises at least one of chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein coating further comprises forming at least one additional layer comprising conductive material over the seed layer.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein forming the at least one additional layer comprises at least one of chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, electrolytic plating, electroless plating, and immersion plating.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein forming the at least one additional layer comprises: 
 forming a conductive layer; and    forming an oxidation-resistant layer over the conductive layer.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein forming the at least one additional layer further comprises: 
 forming a barrier layer between the conductive layer and the oxidation-resistant layer.    
   
   
       16 . A method for forming a contact for a semiconductor device component, comprising fabricating at least a portion of the contact by a programmed material consolidation process.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein fabricating comprises selectively consolidating unconsolidated material in accordance with a program.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein selectively consolidating comprises directing focused energy or radiation toward the unconsolidated material.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein fabricating comprises fabricating the at least one layer from a dielectric material.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming a conductive coating on at least a portion of an exterior surface of a core formed during the act of fabricating.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein fabricating comprises fabricating at least the portion from a conductive material.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein fabricating comprises fabricating at least the portion from at least one of a conductive polymer and a conductor-filled polymer.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein fabricating comprises stereolithographically fabricating.  
   
   
       24 . A contact of a semiconductor device component, comprising a plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers.  
   
   
       25 . The contact of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers form at least part of a conductive portion of the contact.  
   
   
       26 . The contact of  claim 25 , wherein each layer of the plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers comprises at least one of a conductive polymer and a conductor-filled polymer.  
   
   
       27 . The contact of  claim 25 , further including a core that at least partially supports the conductive portion.  
   
   
       28 . The contact of  claim 27 , wherein the core includes a plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers.  
   
   
       29 . The contact of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers of the core comprises dielectric material.  
   
   
       30 . The contact of  claim 24 , wherein each layer of the plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers comprises a dielectric material.  
   
   
       31 . The contact of  claim 30 , wherein the dielectric material comprises photopolymer.  
   
   
       32 . The contact of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers form at least a portion of a core of the contact.  
   
   
       33 . The contact of  claim 31 , further including a conductive coating on at least a portion of an exterior surface of the core.  
   
   
       34 . A contact of a semiconductor device component, comprising a plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions.  
   
   
       35 . The contact of  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions form at least part of a conductive portion of the contact.  
   
   
       36 . The contact of  claim 35 , wherein each layer of the plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions comprises at least one of a conductive polymer and a conductor-filled polymer.  
   
   
       37 . The contact of  claim 35 , further including a core that at least partially supports the conductive portion.  
   
   
       38 . The contact of  claim 37 , wherein the core includes a plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions.  
   
   
       39 . The contact of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions of the core comprises dielectric material.  
   
   
       40 . The contact of  claim 34 , wherein each region of the plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions comprises a dielectric material.  
   
   
       41 . The contact of  claim 40 , wherein the dielectric material comprises photopolymer.  
   
   
       42 . The contact of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions form at least a portion of a core of the contact.  
   
   
       43 . The contact of  claim 42 , further including a conductive coating on at least a portion of an exterior surface of the core.  
   
   
       44 . A contact for use with an electronic device component, comprising: 
 a flexible, resilient core including a plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered layers; and    a conductive coating on the core.    
   
   
       45 . The contact of  claim 44 , further comprising a protective element protruding adjacent thereto, the protective element being configured to limit compression of the core of the contact.  
   
   
       46 . A method for protecting flexible, resilient contacts that protrude from at least one of surface of a substrate, comprising disposing a protective structure on the at least one surface laterally adjacent to each flexible, resilient contact that protrudes from the at least one surface, the protective structure: 
 having a height which at least partially prevents an adjacent flexible, resilient contact from being deformed beyond its elastic limit; or    being spaced apart from the adjacent flexible, resilient contact a distance which at least partially prevents the adjacent flexible, resilient contact from being deformed beyond the elastic limit.    
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein disposing comprises forming the protective structure on the at least one surface.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein disposing comprises securing a preformed protective structure to the at least one surface.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising forming the protective structure.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein forming comprises selectively consolidating unconsolidated material in accordance with a program.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein selectively consoliding unconsolidated material in accordance with a program comprises stereolithographically forming the protective structure.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein disposing comprises disposing a substantially planar protective structure on the at least one surface, the substantially planar protective structure including a plurality of apertures therethrough, at least some contacts of the flexible, resilient contacts being at least partially disposed within corresponding apertures of the plurality of apertures and at least partially laterally surrounded by the substantially planar protective structure.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein disposing comprises disposing an individual protective structure around at least one flexible, resilient contact of the flexible resilient contacts, the individual protective structure including: 
 an aperture therethrough within which the at least one flexible, resilient contact is at least partially disposed; and    a side wall that at least partially laterally surrounds the at least one flexible, resilient contact.    
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein disposing comprises disposing at least one element adjacent to at least one flexible, resilient contact of the flexible, resilient contacts so as to protrude from the at least one surface.