Patent US5900674A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5900674A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interface structures for electronic devices
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1996-12-23
•
Granted: 1999-05-04
•
Expires: 2016-12-23
Abstract
Abstract An interface includes a surface having an electrically conductive pad; a compliant coating over the surface having a via extending to the pad; metallization patterned over the compliant coating and extending into the via; a low modulus dielectric interface layer overlying the compliant coating and having an interface via extending to the metallization; and a floating pad structure including floating pad metallization patterned over the dielectric interface layer with a first portion forming a central pad and a second portion forming an extension from the central pad extending into the interface via. Another interface includes a substrate including a low modulus dielectric interface material having a hole extending at least partially therethrough and a floating contact structure including electrically conductive material coating the hole with at least some of the floating pad metallization forming an extension from the hole. A conductive contact area interface may include an electrically conductive first contact area; an electrically conductive second contact area facing and being substantially aligned with the first contact area; and at least one interface structure coupled between the first and second contact areas and including an electrical conductor having a partially open interior to form a compliant joint between the first and second contact areas.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert John Wojnarowski
- 👤 Barry Scott Whitmore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 09:07
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W72/90; H10W70/00; H10W70/099; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/341; H05K3/3431; H05K3/3436; H10W70/60; H10W70/62; H10W70/63; H10W70/635; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/03; H05K2201/0332; H05K2201/0364; H05K2201/0373; H05K2201/10; H05K2201/10227; H05K2201/10257; H05K2201/10378; H05K3/325; H05K3/326; H05K3/40; H05K3/4092; H10W72/01; H10W72/019; H10W72/071; H10W72/072; H10W72/07251; H10W72/20; H10W72/221; H10W72/224; H10W72/231; H10W72/29; H10W72/931; H10W72/932; H10W72/934; H10W72/981; H10W72/983; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/94; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49126; Y10T29/4913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
An interface comprising: a base surface having an electrically conductive base pad; a compliant coating over the base surface and base pad, the compliant coating having a coating via extending therethrough to the base pad; base metallization patterned over the compliant coating and extending into the coating via; a low modulus dielectric interface layer overlying the compliant coating and having at least one dielectric interface via extending therethrough to the base metallization; and a floating pad structure comprising floating pad metallization patterned over the dielectric interface layer, a first portion of the floating pad metallization forming a central pad and a second portion of the floating pad metallization forming at least one extension from the central pad and extending into the at least one dielectric interface via, the floating pad structure capable of accommodating thermal and material stresses and permitting movements of the central pad independent of the base pad.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
An interface comprising: a base surface having an electrically conductive base pad; a compliant coating over the base surface and base pad, the compliant coating having a coating via extending therethrough to the base pad; base metallization patterned over the compliant coating and extending into the coating via; a low modulus dielectric interface layer overlying the compliant coating and having at least one dielectric interface via extending therethrough to the base metallization; and a floating pad structure comprising floating pad metallization patterned over the dielectric interface layer, a first portion of the floating pad metallization forming a central pad and a second portion of the floating pad metallization forming at least one extension from the central pad and extending into the at least one dielectric interface via, the floating pad structure capable of accommodating thermal and material stresses and permitting movements of the central pad independent of the base pad.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The interface of claim 1 wherein the base surface comprises a semiconductor chip, a passive component, a semiconductor wafer, a printed circuit board, a flexible interconnect layer structure, a photonic structure, a liquid crystal structure, or a microelectromechanical structure (MEMS).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The interface of claim 2 wherein the dielectric interface layer comprises a flexible epoxy or a flexible rubber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The interface of claim 1 wherein the floating pad metallization includes at least two extensions from the central pad and wherein the dielectric interface layer has at least two dielectric interface vias therein, each extension extending into a respective dielectric interface via.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The interface of claim 4 wherein the central pad has a thickness greater than a thickness of the at least two extensions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The interface of claim 4 wherein, above the base pad, the levels of the dielectric interface layer and the floating pad metallization dip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
113 words
The interface of claim 4 wherein the floating pad metallization further includes at least two noncoupling extensions, the at least two noncoupling extensions not extending into dielectric interface vias; and further including an additional dielectric interface layer overlying the floating pad structure and having additional vias extending therethrough to the at least two noncoupling extensions; and an additional floating pad structure comprising additional floating pad metallization patterned over the additional dielectric interface layer, a first portion of the additional floating pad metallization forming an additional central pad and a second portion of the additional floating pad metallization forming additional extensions from the central pad and extending into respective ones of the additional vias.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The interface of claim 4 wherein a portion of the surface not including the base pad and the floating pad structure is not covered by the compliant coating and the dielectric interface layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The interface of claim 4 wherein a solder ball or solder bump is attached to the central pad of the floating pad structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The interface of claim 4 further including: an additional dielectric interface layer overlying the floating pad structure and having an additional via over the central pad, and contact metallization patterned over the additional dielectric interface layer and extending into the additional via.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The interface of claim 10 further including a solder ball or solder bump attached to the contact metallization.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The interface of claim 4 further including: an additional dielectric interface layer overlying the floating pad structure and having an additional via over the central pad, and solder patterned over the additional dielectric interface layer and extending into the additional via.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The interface of claim 12 wherein the additional dielectric interface layer comprises a solder mask.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The interface of claim 12 further including a second additional interface dielectric layer overlying the additional interface dielectric layer and having second additional vias over the solder.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interface of claim 4, wherein the interface dielectric layer has an open area situated under at least a portion of the floating pad structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
129 words
An interface comprising: a base surface having an electrically conductive base pad; a compliant coating over the base surface and base pad, the compliant coating having a coating via extending therethrough to the base pad; base metallization patterned over the compliant coating and extending into the coating via; a floating pad structure situated above the base metallization and compliant coating and comprising floating pad metallization, a first portion of the floating pad metallization forming a central pad and a second portion of the floating pad metallization forming at least two extensions from the central pad, the at least two extensions being coupled to the base metallization, the floating pad structure capable of accommodating thermal and material stresses and permitting movements of the central pad independent of the base pad.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
129 words
An interface comprising: a base surface having an electrically conductive base pad; a compliant coating over the base surface and base pad, the compliant coating having a coating via extending therethrough to the base pad; base metallization patterned over the compliant coating and extending into the coating via; a floating pad structure situated above the base metallization and compliant coating and comprising floating pad metallization, a first portion of the floating pad metallization forming a central pad and a second portion of the floating pad metallization forming at least two extensions from the central pad, the at least two extensions being coupled to the base metallization, the floating pad structure capable of accommodating thermal and material stresses and permitting movements of the central pad independent of the base pad.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
157 words
A method for fabricating an interface comprising the steps of: applying a compliant coating over a base surface having an electrically conductive base pad; forming a coating via extending in the compliant coating extending to the base pad; applying and patterning a base metallization over the compliant coating and into the coating via; applying a low modulus dielectric interface layer over the compliant coating; forming at least one dielectric interface via extending through the dielectric interface layer to the base metallization; and applying a floating pad structure comprising floating pad metallization patterned over the dielectric interface layer, a first portion of the floating pad metallization forming a central pad and a second portion of the floating pad metallization forming at least one extension from the central pad and extending into the dielectric interface via, the floating pad structure capable of accommodating thermal and material stresses and permitting movements of the central pad independent of the base pad.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
157 words
A method for fabricating an interface comprising the steps of: applying a compliant coating over a base surface having an electrically conductive base pad; forming a coating via extending in the compliant coating extending to the base pad; applying and patterning a base metallization over the compliant coating and into the coating via; applying a low modulus dielectric interface layer over the compliant coating; forming at least one dielectric interface via extending through the dielectric interface layer to the base metallization; and applying a floating pad structure comprising floating pad metallization patterned over the dielectric interface layer, a first portion of the floating pad metallization forming a central pad and a second portion of the floating pad metallization forming at least one extension from the central pad and extending into the dielectric interface via, the floating pad structure capable of accommodating thermal and material stresses and permitting movements of the central pad independent of the base pad.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one dielectric interface via comprises at least two dielectric interface vias and the at least one extension comprises at least two extensions and further including, after applying the floating pad structure, removing the dielectric interface layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one dielectric interface via comprises at least two dielectric interface vias and the at least one extension comprises at least two extensions and further including, after applying the floating pad, removing at least a portion of the dielectric interface layer under the floating pad structure.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 19 further including the step of filling an area under the floating pad structure wherein the at least a portion of the dielectric interface layer was removed with a filler material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
60 words
An interface comprising: a substrate including a low modulus dielectric interface material having at least one hole extending at least partially therethrough; and a metallized floating pad contact structure comprising electrically conductive material coating the at least one hole, at least some of the metallized floating pad contact structure forming at least one extension from the at least one hole.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
60 words
An interface comprising: a substrate including a low modulus dielectric interface material having at least one hole extending at least partially therethrough; and a metallized floating pad contact structure comprising electrically conductive material coating the at least one hole, at least some of the metallized floating pad contact structure forming at least one extension from the at least one hole.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
The interface of claim 21 further comprising: an electrically conductive pin connected to a support structure and situated in the at least one hole, and solder coupling the electrically conductive pin and the floating contact structure.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The interface of claim 22 wherein the substrate further includes a rigid material surrounding the low modulus dielectric interface material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The interface of claim 22 wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board or a flexible interconnect layer structure.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The interface of claim 24 wherein the dielectric interface material comprises a flexible epoxy or a flexible rubber.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The interface of claim 21 wherein the floating pad metallization includes at least two extensions from the central pad.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The interface of claim 21 wherein the at least one hole extends partially through the substrate.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
76 words
The interface of claim 27 wherein the substrate further comprises substrate pad metallization situated on an opposite surface of the at least one hole and further comprising: an electrically conductive pin connected to a support structure and situated in the at least one hole; solder coupling the electrically conductive pin and the floating contact structure; a surface having a surface metallization pad thereon; and solder coupling the substrate pad metallization pad and the surface metallization pad.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4641222A
Cited
US4835704A
Cited
US4894115A
Cited
US5161093A
Cited
US5454904A
Cited
US5449427A
Cited
US5527741A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-03 | 2002-11-02 | 2003-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-03 | 2006-11-02 | 2007-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-03 | 2010-11-02 | 2011-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |