Tyco Electronics Corporation

George Jyh-Shann Chou

Robert Daniel Hilty

Charles Randall Malstrom

Michael Fredrick Laub

Peter David Wapenski

Alan Robert MacDougall

Bogdan Octav Ciocirlan

Valerie Lawrence

A copper substrate for use as a contact having Sn plating, nickel plating and Au plating overlying the substrate. A combination of Sn plating is applied over a copper substrate; nickel plating is applied over the Sn plating; and Au plating is applied over the nickel plating to form a stack. The stack is then processed by a vapor phase Sn reflow step that results in the formation of intermetallics and eliminates stannous oxide layers that may otherwise form on the tin layer. The intermetallic layers provide excellent corrosion resistance, and serve as diffusion barriers to prevent the further migration of either Ni atoms or Cu atoms into the Sn, and Sn atoms outwardly into either the Ni or the Cu. Regardless of the thickness, the interfaces are substantially free of oxides, in particular tin oxide, and not prone to delamination.

Corrosion resistant barrier formed by vapor phase tin reflow

An electrical conductor has a metal substrate. A seal layer is provided exterior of the metal substrate. A nickel layer is provided exterior of the seal layer. The seal layer is a non-nickel based metal. Optionally, the seal layer may be tin based. Optionally, the seal layer may create intermetallic interface layers with the nickel layer and the metal substrate. Optionally, the electrical conductor may constitute a contact configured for mating with at least one of a printed circuit board or another mating contact.

Corrosion resistant electrical conductor

A nickel based alloy coating and a method for applying the nickel based alloy as a coating to a substrate. The nickel based alloy comprises about 0.1-15% rhenium, about 5-55% of an element selected from the group consisting of cobalt, iron and combinations thereof, sulfur included as a microalloying addition in amounts from about 100 parts per million (ppm) to about 300 ppm, the balance nickel and incidental impurities. The nickel-based alloy of the present invention is applied to a substrate, usually an electro-mechanical device such as a MEMS, by well-known plating techniques. However, the plating bath must include sufficient sulfur to result in deposition of 100-300 ppm sulfur as a microalloyed element. The coated substrate is heat treated to develop a two phase microstructure in the coating. The microalloyed sulfur-containing nickel-based alloy of the present invention includes a second phase of sulfide precipitates across the grain (intragranular) that improves the stress-relaxation resistance of the alloy.

Composition and method for alloy having improved stress relaxation resistance

An electrical conductor has a metal substrate. A seal plating layer is provided on and exterior of the metal substrate. A nickel plating layer is provided on and exterior of the seal plating layer. A gold plating layer is provided on and exterior of the nickel plating layer. The seal plating layer is a non-nickel based metal. Optionally, the seal plating layer may be tin based. Optionally, the seal plating layer may create intermetallic interface layers with the nickel plating layer and the metal substrate. Optionally, the electrical conductor may constitute a contact configured for mating with at least one of a printed circuit board or another mating contact.

An electrical connector is provided for mating with an electrical component. The connector includes a substrate having a mating side, and a solder column extending from the mating side of the substrate. The solder column includes a base that is engaged with the substrate. The solder column extends a length away from the mating side of the substrate to a tip. The tip includes a contact surface that is configured to engage and electrically connect to an electrical contact of the electrical component. The solder column is linearly tapered along at least a portion of the length from the base to the tip.

Electrical connector with solder columns

A laminated electrical contact strip includes a plurality of electrical contacts. Each electrical contact includes a pair of opposite first and second surfaces extending between a pair of opposite end portions. A pair of first and second dielectric layers are laminated over the plurality of electrical contacts such that the first and second dielectric layers hold the plurality of electrical contacts therebetween. The first dielectric layer is bonded to and covers a portion of the first surface of each of the electrical contacts. The second dielectric layer is bonded to and covers a portion of the second surface of each of the electrical contacts.

Laminated electrical contact strip

A method for manufacturing an electrical contact includes providing a series of electrical contacts joined on a carrier strip to a plating station followed by an induction heating station. At the plating station, plating the electrical contacts with a conductive alloy coating to form coated electrical contacts. At the induction heating station, induction heating the coated electrical contacts.

Induction reflow apparatus and method of using the same

A method and apparatus are provided in accordance with embodiments of the present invention for heat-treating electrical contacts. The method and apparatus include plating a core wire with at least one conductive coating to form an electrical contact that experiences internal stresses. The method and apparatus further include induction heating the electrical contact for a predetermined period of time to at least partially relieve the internal stresses. A plurality of electrical contacts may be mounted on a substrate that is held near induction coils to cause heating. The electrical contacts may be formed with spring shaped bodies that are aligned at a desired orientation within magnetic fields created during induction heating. In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, different portions of each electrical contact may be annealed by different desired amounts. The electrical contacts are annealed such that a base portion of each electrical contact undergoes less annealing to retain superior strength properties and the flexible portion of the electrical contact which retains superior stress-relaxation properties.

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Mechanicsburg, PA, United States of America

George Jyh-Shann Chou