Xerox Corporation

Andrew Sebastian Alimonda

Donald Leonard Smith

Patrick G Kim

A spring contact includes a free portion having a tip. The free portion includes a contact surface and side surfaces. In some embodiments, a wear resistant material is formed on only selected portions of the tip. In other embodiments, the wear resistant material is formed on the contact surface and on the side surfaces. The wear resistant material increases the wear resistance of the spring contact. The spring contacts can be used in probes.

Wear-resistant spring contacts

A photolithographically patterned spring contact is formed on a substrate and electrically connects contact pads on two devices. The spring contact also compensates for thermal and mechanical variations and other environmental factors. An inherent stress gradient in the spring contact causes a free portion of the spring contact to bend up and away from the substrate. An anchor portion remains fixed to the substrate and is electrically connected to a first contact pad on the substrate. The spring contact is made of an elastic material and the free portion compliantly contacts a second contact pad, thereby electrically interconnecting the two contact pads. The free portion is initially fixed to the substrate to intentionally form the inherent stress gradient in the elastic member. The free portion is released from the substrate by etching a release layer deposited on the substrate so the inherent stress gradient in the elastic member biases the free portion away from the substrate. A contact tip of the spring contact can be coated with solder.

Photolithographically patterned spring contact

A photolithographically patterned spring contact is formed on a substrate and electrically connects contact pads on two devices. The spring contact also compensates for thermal and mechanical variations and other environmental factors. An inherent stress gradient in the spring contact causes a free portion of the spring contact to bend up and away from the substrate. An anchor portion remains fixed to the substrate and is electrically connected to a first contact pad on the substrate. The spring contact is made of an elastic material and the free portion compliantly contacts a second contact pad, thereby electrically interconnecting the two contact pads.

Method for forming a spring contact

A method of depositing a delamination bubble-free PECVD thin film n+ amorphous silicon layer, from the decomposition of a gaseous mixture of silane and phosphine, upon a substrate having one or more thin film layers thereon, wherein there is contamination upon the exposed surface of the outer thin film layer, comprising purging the plasma chamber with pure silane gas, igniting the plasma and then introducing the gaseous mixture of silane and phosphine into the plasma chamber to complete the formation of the n+ layer.

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Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Andrew Sebastian Alimonda