Method and device to elongate a solder joint

Abstract

A method and device to elongate a solder joint are provided. The method begins by forming an elongator on a first substrate. The elongator comprises an expander and an encapsulant to encapsulate the expander. A solder joint is formed to connect the first substrate to a second substrate. Thereafter, the encapsulant is softened to release the expander from a compressed state to elongate the solder joint. The device to elongate a solder joint comprises a substrate having an elongator formed on it. The elongator includes an expander in a compressed state and an encapsulant to encapsulate the expander.

1 . A device to elongate a solder joint, the device comprising: 
 a substrate; and    an elongator formed on the substrate, wherein the elongator comprises: 
 an expander in a compressed state; and  
 an encapsulant to encapsulate the expander.  
   
   
   
       2 . The device to elongate a solder joint as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is one of a group consisting of a chip, an interposer, a package, a board, a series of interposers, a series of packages and a wafer.  
   
   
       3 . The device to elongate a solder joint as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the elongator is formed on the substrate by one of a group consisting of an injection molding process, a compression molding process, a transfer molding process and a casting process.  
   
   
       4 . The device to elongate a solder joint as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the expander comprises a corrugated strip.  
   
   
       5 . The device to elongate a solder joint as recited in  claim 4 , wherein a first end of the corrugated strip overlaps a second end of the corrugated strip.  
   
   
       6 . The device to elongate a solder joint as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the encapsulant is an electrical insulator.  
   
   
       7 . The device to elongate a solder joint as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the encapsulant is a thermoplastic.  
   
   
       8 . The device to elongate a solder joint as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic is one of a group consisting of polyamide and polyacetal.  
   
   
       9 . An electronic assembly, comprising: 
 a first substrate coupled to a second substrate by a solder joint; and    an elongator coupled between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the elongator is formed on the first substrate and wherein the elongator comprises: 
 an expander; and  
 an encapsulant to encapsulate the expander.  
   
   
   
       10 . The electronic assembly as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the encapsulant is an electrical insulator.  
   
   
       11 . The electronic assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the encapsulant is a thermoplastic.  
   
   
       12 . The electronic assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic is one of a group consisting of polyamide and polyacetal.  
   
   
       13 . The electronic assembly as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the expander comprises a corrugated strip.  
   
   
       14 . The electronic assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein a first end of the corrugated strip overlaps a second end of the corrugated strip.  
   
   
       15 . The electronic assembly as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the elongator is formed on the first substrate by one of a group consisting of an injection molding process, a compression molding process, a transfer molding process and a casting process.  
   
   
       16 . The electronic assembly as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the first substrate is one of a group consisting of a chip, an interposer, a package, a board and a series of interposers.