Shielded sockets for microprocessors and fabrication thereof by overmolding and plating

Abstract

Shielded sockets for microprocessors and fabrication of shielded sockets by overmolding and plating techniques are described. In an example, a socket for a packaged semiconductor device includes a plastic housing having walls surrounding a cavity. A plurality of contact strips is disposed in the cavity and supported by one or more of the walls of the plastic housing. Each of the plurality of contact strips includes a plurality of contacts. Each of the plurality of contacts includes a vertical region overmolded with plastic, a contact portion, and a J-lead portion. The plastic is coated with a metal layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fabricating a shielded socket for a packaged semiconductor device, the method comprising:
 stamping one or more contact strips from a metal sheet, each contact strip comprising a plurality of contacts attached to a carrier by carrier arms;   overmolding, with plastic, a vertical region of each of the plurality of contacts of each of the one or more contact strips;   coating the plastic with a metal layer;   forming bends in each of the plurality of contacts of each of the one or more contact strips to provide a contact tip and a J-lead in each of the plurality of contacts of each of the one or more contact strips;   removing the carrier and carrier arms from each of the one or more contact strips; and   inserting the one or more contact strips in a plastic housing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein overmolding, with plastic, the vertical region of each of the plurality of contacts of each of the one or more contact strips comprises overmolding using a liquid crystal polymer (LCP). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coating the plastic with the metal layer comprises plating copper on the plastic. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , inserting the one or more contact strips in the plastic housing comprises forming a hexagonal array of contact strips within the plastic housing, each contact strip of the hexagonal array of contact strips in contact with an adjacent contact strip through the metal layer of the respective contact strip. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming bends in each of the plurality of contacts of each of the one or more contact strips is performed subsequent to the overmolding, with plastic, the vertical region of each of the plurality of contacts of each of the one or more contact strips. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming bends in each of the plurality of contacts of each of the one or more contact strips is performed prior to the overmolding, with plastic, the vertical region of each of the plurality of contacts of each of the one or more contact strips. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removing the carrier and carrier arms from each of the one or more contact strips is performed subsequent to the inserting the one or more contact strips in the plastic housing. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting the one or more contact strips in a plastic housing comprises supporting the one or more contact strips by wall features of the plastic housing. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 subsequent to inserting the one or more contact strips in the plastic housing, electrically grounding one or more contacts of one or more of the contact strips.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting the one or more contact strips in the plastic housing provides a shielded socket, the method further comprising:
 coupling a packaged semiconductor device to the shielded socket by attaching metal lands of the packaged semiconductor device to the contact tips.