WO2020154313A1

WO2020154313A1 - Socket with spring probe

Info

Publication number: WO2020154313A1
Application number: PCT/US2020/014456
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dexian LIU; Jiachun Zhou; Khaled ELMADBOULY; Dave HENRY
Original assignee: Smiths Interconnect Americas, Inc.
Priority date: 2019-01-22
Filing date: 2020-01-21
Publication date: 2020-07-30

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for an electrical connector assembly that connects an integrated circuit chip to a printed circuit board. The electrical connector assembly includes a socket body and a socket retainer. The socket retainer is aligned with the socket body to form a socket cavity. The electrical connector assembly includes a spring probe. The spring probe is positioned within the socket cavity to electrically connect the integrated circuit chip with the printed circuit board. The electrical connector assembly includes a contact inducing device. The contact inducing device is configured to ensure that the spring probe contacts one or more traces within the printed circuit broad when the spring probe is depressed or received within the socket cavity.

Description

SOCKET WITH SPRING PROBE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/795,381 titled“SOCKET WITH SPRING PROBE,” filed on January 22, 2019, and the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Field

[0003] This specification relates to a system, method or apparatus for a socket with a spring probe for use in a test system.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] In the electronics and semiconductor industries, systems used to test integrated circuit chips may be referred to as test systems. To test higher frequency integrated circuit (IC) chips, the test systems should transmit a high frequency signal with little signal loss. A test system may include a socket body and socket retainer defining a plurality of cavities. Each cavity may receive a contactor, which may be a spring probe. Conventionally there are two approaches used to maintain signal integrity in test systems - to use relatively short contactors or to use a coaxial structure for the contactors. Short contactors may have the shortcomings of having small compliance and high compression force, which may limit its applications in small size integrated circuit packages. When performing high-frequency integrated circuit package testing, a coaxial structure may be used. Contactors with coaxial structures may be used for testing large sized integrated circuit packages and high count I/O packages while maintaining performance standards. These coaxial structures, however, may still not meet new requirements from customers of approximately ~ 112 Gbps.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for a socket structure to test higher frequency IC chips. SUMMARY

[0007] In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification may be embodied in an electrical connector assembly. The electrical connector assembly connects an integrated circuit chip to a printed circuit board. The electrical connector assembly includes a socket body and a socket retainer. The socket retainer is aligned with the socket body to form a socket cavity. The electrical connector assembly includes a spring probe. The spring probe is positioned within the socket cavity to electrically connect the integrated circuit chip with the printed circuit board. The electrical connector assembly includes a contact inducing device. The contact inducing device is configured to ensure that the spring probe contacts one or more traces within the printed circuit broad when the spring probe is depressed or received within the socket cavity.

[0008] These and other embodiments may optionally include one or more of the following features. The electrical connector assembly may include one or more contact pads. The one or more contact pads may be positioned within the printed circuit board and may be configured to be electrically connected or coupled to one or more traces of the printed circuit board. The contact inducing device may be an outer spring. The outer spring may be positioned around a barrel of the spring probe and may facilitate contact of one or more protrusions of the spring probe with one or more contact pads within the printed circuit board when a downward force is applied on the spring probe. The outer spring may be configured to apply an upward or an outward force that is opposite the downward force, respectively, to maintain an electrical connection between the one or more protrusions and the one or more contact pads.

[0009] The contact inducing device may be a conductive elastomer ring. The spring probe may have a plunger, a barrel and one or more protrusions. The plunger may have a bulge that interfaces with the conductive elastomer ring to maintain or establish an electrical connection between the integrated circuit chip and the printed circuit board. The bulge may be placed into contact with the conductive elastomer ring to electrically connect the integrated circuit chip with the one or more contact pads when a downward force is applied on the plunger.

[0010] The contact inducing device may be an elastomer sheet. The elastomer sheet may be configured to retain the barrel of the spring probe in a fixed position to maintain contact between the one or more protrusions and one or more contact pads within the printed circuit board. The elastomer sheet may be positioned between the socket body and the socket retainer.

[0011] In another aspect, the subject matter is embodied in an electrical connector assembly. The electrical connector assembly connects an integrated circuit chip to a printed circuit board. The electrical connector assembly includes a socket body having a socket cavity. The electrical connector assembly includes a spring probe positioned within the socket cavity. The spring probe electrically connects the integrated circuit chip with the printed circuit board. The electrical connector assembly includes at least one of an elastomer sheet, a conductive elastomer ring or an outer spring. The at least one of the elastomer sheet, the conductive elastomer ring or the outer spring is configured to ensure that the spring probe is electrically coupled with the printed circuit board even when the spring probe is depressed within the socket cavity.

[0012] In another aspect, the subject matter is embodied in an electrical connector assembly. The electrical connector assembly connects an integrated circuit to one or more printed circuit boards. The electrical connector assembly includes a socket body and a floating plate. The floating plate is formed from an elastomer sheet positioned on a first printed circuit board. The floating plate has a conductive column that is positioned within the first circuit board that is in between the floating plate and the socket body. The floating plate is configured to float on top of the socket body. The electrical connector assembly include multiple spring probes. The multiple spring probes include a first spring probe and a second spring probe. The first spring probe is configured to contact the conductive column within the first printed circuit board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. Component parts shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and may be exaggerated to better illustrate the important features of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows an example electrical connector assembly for connecting an integrated circuit (IC) chip to a printed circuit board (PCB) according to an aspect of the invention.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows an example electrical contact probe of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 3A shows a double spring probe according to an aspect of the invention.

[0017] FIG. 3B shows the separate components of the double spring probe of FIG. 3A according to an aspect of the invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 with a socket structure using the double spring probe of FIGS. 3A-3B to maintain electrical contact between the IC chip and the PCB according to an aspect of the invention.

[0019] FIG. 5 shows the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 with a socket structure using an electrical contact probe with a modified plunger and a conductive elastomer ring to maintain the electrical contact between the IC chip and the PCB according to an aspect of the invention.

[0020] FIG. 6A shows the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 with a socket structure using an elastomer sheet positioned between the socket body and the socket retainer to maintain the electrical contact between the IC chip and the PCB according to an aspect of the invention.

[0021] FIG. 6B shows the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 with a socket structure using the elastomer sheet as the socket retainer to support one or more distal protrusions of the electrical contact probe and maintain the electrical contact between the IC chip and the PCB according to an aspect of the invention.

[0022] FIG. 6C shows the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 with a socket structure using the elastomer sheet as the socket retainer to support the barrel of the electrical contact probe and maintain the electrical contact between the IC chip and the PCB according to an aspect of the invention.

[0023] FIG. 7 shows the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 with a socket structure using a floating elastomer sheet with a conductive column to maintain electrical contact between the IC chip and the PCB according to an aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Disclosed herein are systems, apparatuses, devices and/or methods for testing higher frequency IC chips. New technologies and products are required to handle testing of high frequency IC chips, as existing technology is unable to handle high frequencies (e.g., >112 Gbps). The electrical connector assembly connects an integrated circuit chip to a printed circuit board. The electrical connector assembly described herein includes a socket with a coaxial structure that uses a contact inducing device or mechanism, such as an additional spring, a bulge, an elastomer ring, an elastomer sheet, a floating plate with a conductive column or other additional components and/or structures to facilitate electrical contact between the IC chip and PCB to transmit and/or test high frequency signals.

[0025] Particular embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification may be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. The electrical connector assembly has a socket with different components and/or structures, such as an additional spring structure, an elastomer ring, a floating plate, or an elastomer sheet, to increase performance of the transmission of higher frequencies in higher frequency IC chips, such as greater than or equal to 112 Gbps, while minimizing manufacturing cost of the socket.

[0026] Other benefits and advantages include having a flexible design. The flexible design allows the electrical connector assembly to be used for various different applications and for the connector assembly to be used to test one or more electronic devices, such as an integrated circuit, at higher and/or lower frequencies simultaneously. Different configurations of the one or more sockets and probes allow for the testing of different integrated circuit (IC) chips.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an electrical connector assembly 100. The electrical connector assembly (or“test system”) 100 tests an electronic device, such as an IC chip 101. The test system 100 tests the IC chip 101 at higher frequencies, such as at high frequencies of approximately greater than 112 Gbps, with a smaller signal loss using a printed circuit board (PCB). The test system 100 has a socket body 102, which may be referred to as a“middle housing,” and/or a socket retainer 104, which may be referred to as a“bottom housing,” and one or more electrical contact probes 108, such as a spring probe. The electrical contact probe 108 provides an electrical connection between the IC chip 101 and one or more PCBs. The test system 100 may have one or more contact inducing devices. The one or more contact inducing devices may include an outer spring 206b attached or positioned around the barrel 204 of a spring probe to form a double spring probe 300, as shown in FIG. 3A for example, a bulge 502 and conductive elastomer ring 504, as shown in FIG. 5 for example, an elastomer sheet 602, as shown in FIGS. 6A-6C for example, or a floating plate 702 with a conductive column 704, as shown in FIG. 7 for example. The one or more contact inducing devices facilitate the electrical connection between the IC chip 101, the electrical contact probe 108 and/or a PCB 404a positioned on top of the socket body 102 (or“top PCB”) to pass or transmit higher frequency signals.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a close-up perspective view of the electrical contact probe 108. The electrical contact probe 108 may be a spring probe, as shown in FIG. 2 for example, or a double spring probe 300, as shown in FIGS. 3A-3B for example. The electrical contact probe 108 may have a plunger 202 positioned at a proximal end of the electrical contact probe 108, a tip 210 positioned at a distal end of electrical contact probe 108, a barrel 204 positioned in between the plunger 202 and the tip 210 and one or more springs 206a-b, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3A, 3B for example. The barrel 204 may be a hollow barrel having the spring 206a within. The electrical contact probe 108 may have one or more protrusions 208 that facilitate an electrical connection between the electrical contact probe 108 and a PCB.

[0029] The double spring probe 300 may have the same or similar components as the electrical contact probe 108 with an additional spring on the outside of the barrel 204, such as an outer spring 206b. FIG. 3A shows the double spring probe 300 with the outer spring 206b positioned around the barrel 204. FIG. 3B shows the double spring probe 300 with the outer spring 206b separate from the barrel 204. The one or more springs 206a-b may be positioned within the barrel 204 and/or external and around the barrel 204, respectively.

[0030] The electrical contact probe 108 may have a plunger 202. The plunger 202 may be contacted and compressed by the IC chip 101 into the barrel 204. When contacted by the IC chip 101, the plunger 202 may be pushed into the barrel 204 by compressing the spring 206a within the barrel 204 and may form an electrical connection between the IC chip 101 and the top PCB 404a. In some implementations, the plunger 202 may form an electrical connection between the IC chip 101 and a PCB positioned below the socket body 102 and/or the socket retainer 104 (or“bottom PCB”) via the tip 210. The one or more protrusions 208 may facilitate the electrical connection between the IC chip 101, the electrical contact probe 108 and the one or more PCBs 404a-b.

[0031] The socket body 102 and the socket retainer 104 may be referred to as a socket 106. The socket 106 may have a conductive or metallic coaxial structure. The socket body 102 and/or the socket retainer 104 may be of the same height or of different heights. The socket body 102 and/or the socket retainer 104 may be made from a plastic material, Peek Rigid or other dielectric or insulative material. The plastic may be a high strength dielectric composite plastic material or other insulating material that protects and prevents electrical shorts between the IC chip 101, the printed circuit board (PCB) and the components of the test system 100. In some implementations, the socket body 102 and/or the socket retainer 104 may be made from a conductive material, such as aluminum, copper or other conductive material with an insulative or dielectric layer.

[0032] The socket body 102 and/or the socket retainer 104 may have one or more openings that lead to one or more cavities 402 formed from the socket body 102 and/or the socket retainer 104, as shown in FIG. 4 for example. The one or more openings accommodate and/or receive the electrical contact probe 108 within. For example, the one or more openings of the socket body 102 may be aligned with the one or more openings of the socket retainer 104 to form the cavity 402 within the socket 106 that receives the electrical contact probe 108, which electrically connects the IC chip 101 and the PCB 404a-b.

[0033] In some implementations, the one or more cavities 402 may extend entirely through the socket retainer 104, which may be positioned adjacent to and below the socket body 102. The one or more cavities 402 may extend through the socket retainer 104 such that a top portion of the cavities 402 is within the socket body 102 and a bottom portion of the cavities 402 is within the socket retainer 104. In some implementations, the socket body 102 and the socket retainer 104 each have separate cavities 402 and when the socket retainer 104 and the socket body 102 are placed adjacent to one another and aligned, the separate cavities 402 are aligned and formed. When all the edges of the socket retainer 104 and the socket body 102 match, the socket retainer 104 and the socket body 102 are aligned to form the cavities 402.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows the test system 100 having a socket structure 400 with a double spring probe 300 as the contact inducing device to maintain electrical contact between the IC chip

101 and the top PCB 404a. The double spring probe 300 may have an outer spring 206b positioned around and external to or outside of the barrel 204, as shown in FIG. 3A for example, within the cavity 402. The outer spring 206b may be assembled together and around the barrel 204 before placement into the socket 106 or may be assembled within the socket 106 around the barrel 204 separately.

[0035] The double spring probe 300 electrically connects the IC chip 101 with a top PCB 404a. The top PCB 404a may be positioned in between the IC chip 101 and the socket body

102 and may have one or more electrical contact pads (or“contact pads”) 408, one or more traces 410 and/or one or more embedded components 412, such as one or more capacitors or capacitances. A bottom PCB 404b may be positioned below the socket retainer 104 and may similarly include one or more contact pads 408, one or more traces 410 and/or one or more embedded components 412 that are in electrical contact with the tip 210 of the double spring probe 300 or other electrical contact probe 108.

[0036] The one or more contact pads 408, one or more traces 410 and/or the one or more embedded components 412 may be electrically coupled. The one or more traces 410 may be impedance controlled and may electrically couple the one or more contact pads 408 with the one or more embedded components 412 within the one or more PCBs 404a-b and/or another device or component. [0037] The 1C chip 101 may have one or more IC chip balls 406a-b that electrically contact the plunger 202 of the double spring probe 300 or other electrical contact probe 108 and form an electrical connection with the IC chip 101. When the one or more protrusions 208 of the double spring probe 300 are in contact with the one or more contact pads 408 of the top PCB 404a, the double spring probe 300 is electrically coupled to the top PCB 404a, which allows higher frequencies to be transmitted through the top PCB 404a via the one or more traces 410.

[0038] The one or more IC chip balls 406a-b may compress the plunger 202 into the socket 106 when a downward force 414 is applied on the IC chip 101 toward the socket body 102. Typically, when a force compresses the IC chip 101 downward toward the socket body 102, both the plunger 202 and the barrel 204 of a spring probe, which has only a single internal spring 206a and no outer spring 206b, will move or be pushed downward within the socket 106. Thus, the one or more protrusions 208 of the spring probe and/or the barrel 204 may lose contact with the one or more contact pads 408 of the top PCB 404a and/or the one or more traces 410 of the top PCB 404a, which results in the IC chip 101 electrically decoupling from the top PCB 404a. However, when the test system 100 uses a double spring probe 300, the outer spring 206b that is positioned around the barrel 204 provides an upward counter force 416 that is opposite the downward force 414 applied by the IC chip 101 when the IC chip 101 is compressed toward the socket body 102. The upward counter force 416 pushes or maintains the position of the barrel 204 and/or in particular the one or more protrusions 208 in their original positions such that the one or more protrusions 208 and/or the barrel 204 maintains electrical contact with the one or more contact pads 408 and/or one or more traces 410. Thus, the IC chip 101 maintains electrical contact with the top PCB 404a via the double spring probe 300, which allows higher frequencies to pass through the one or more traces 410 of the top

PCB 404a. [0039] For example, when the IC chip ball 406a contacts and pushes the plunger 202 into the barrel 204, the barrel 204 may move downward and the outer spring 206b may push the one or more protrusions 208 of the barrel 204 upward to maintain the electrical contact with one or more contact pads 408 within the top PCB 404a. The electrical signal may pass from the IC chip ball 406a through the double spring probe 300 to the contact pads 408 within the top PCB 404a. The electrical signal may pass through the one or more contact pads 408 to the IC chip ball 406b via one or more traces 410. The IC chip ball 406b may similarly electrically connect to one or more corresponding contact pads 408 within the top PCB 404a that are in direct electrical contact with a corresponding double spring probe 300 that is in direct contact with the IC chip ball 408b. Thus, higher frequency signals may be transmitted.

[0040] FIG. 5 shows the test system 100 having a socket structure 500 using an electrical contact probe 108 having a modified plunger 202 with a bulge 502. As the contact inducing device, the bulge 502 may be integrally formed with the plunger 202 and interfaces with a conductive elastomer ring 504 within the socket 106 to maintain or establish an electrical connection between the IC chip 101 and the top PCB 404a. The bulge 502 contacts the conductive elastomer ring 504 when the IC chip 101 is compressed downward. The bulge 502 may be angular shaped and extend outward from a proximal portion of the plunger 202. The conductive elastomer ring 504 may be made from a metal. The conductive elastomer ring 504 may be electrically conductive and may be positioned on and coupled to the one or more contact pads 408 of the top PCB 404a. For example, an adhesive layer may be applied on the bottom of the conductive elastomer ring 504 or the top of the one or more contact pads 408, and the conductive elastomer ring 504 may be glued to the one or more contact pads 408.

[0041] When the IC chip 101 is compressed downward, the one or more IC chip balls 406a-b contact and push the plunger 202 downward into the barrel 204 and the tip 210 may extend downward through the socket retainer 104 to contact a bottom PCB 404b. This allows the electrical contact probe 108 to electrically connect the IC chip balls 406a-b with the bottom PCB 404b.

[0042] As the plunger 202 is compressed further into the socket 106 by the one or more IC chip balls 406a-b, the bulge 502 contacts the conductive elastomer ring 504, which is in contact with the one or more contact pads 408, to form an electrical connection between the IC chip balls 406a-b and the one or more contact pads 408 and the one or more traces 410 of the top PCB 404a. The bulge 502 may push further between portions of the conductive elastomer ring 504 to expand or push the conductive elastomer ring 504 into electrical contact with the one or more contact pads 408 and/or the one or more traces 410 within the top PCB 404a. This allows the IC chip 101 to be electrically connected with the top PCB 404a, which allows a higher frequency signal to be transmitted from the IC chip ball 406a to the IC chip ball 406b via the top PCB 404a.

[0043] FIGS. 6A-6C show the test system 100 having a socket structure using a contact inducing device, such as an elastomer sheet 602, to fixate or maintain the position of the barrel 204 within the socket 106 so that the electrical connection between the IC chip 101 and the top PCB 404a is maintained even when the plunger 202 is depressed. The electrical contact probe 108 may have a single set of the one or more protrusions 208 or multiple sets of the one or more protrusions 208. For example, a first set of the one or more protrusions 208 may be positioned at a proximal end of the electrical contact probe 108 near the plunger 202 and a second set of the one or more protrusions 208 may be positioned at a distal end of the electrical contact probe 108 near the tip 210. The elastomer sheet 602 may fixate or push the second set of the one or more protrusions 208 upward so that the first set of the one or more protrusions 208 maintain contact with the one or more contact pads 408 of the top PCB 404a.

[0044] The elastomer sheet 602 may be made from an insulative or dielectric material, such as rubber. The elastomer sheet 602 may provide an upward counterforce that fixates or maintains the position of the barrel 204 within the socket 106 even when a downward force is applied, such as when the one or more IC chip balls 406a-b push downward on the one or more plungers 202 of the one or more electrical contact probes 108. By maintaining the position of the barrel 204 within the socket 106, one or more protrusions 208 and/or the barrel 204 remains in contact with the one or more contact pads 408 within the top PCB 404a. This maintains the electrical connection between the IC chip 101 and the top PCB 404a so that higher frequency signals may pass through one or more traces 410 of the top PCB 404a.

[0045] FIG. 6A shows the test system 100 having a socket structure 600 using an elastomer sheet 602 positioned between the socket body 102 and the socket retainer 104. The elastomer sheet 602 may be positioned directly below the second set of the one or more protrusions 208 so that when the IC balls 406a-b push the plunger 202 of the electrical contact probe 108 downward, which may also result in the barrel 204 being pushed downward into the socket 106, the elastomer sheet 602 provides an upward counterforce to counteract the downward force and keep the electrical contact probe 108 in its original position. The elastomer sheet 602 supports the second set of the one or more protrusions 208 so that the barrel 204 does not move downward into the socket retainer 104 and the first set of the one or more protrusions 208 and/or the barrel 204 remain in contact with the one or more contact pads 408 within the top PCB 404a.

[0046] FIG. 6B shows the test system 100 having the socket structure 600 using the elastomer sheet 602 as the socket retainer 104 to support and/or provide an upward force on the second set of one or more protrusions 208. The elastomer sheet 602 is positioned below the socket body 102 in place of the socket retainer 104. The elastomer sheet 602 supports and/or provides an upward counterforce on the second set of the one or more protrusions 208 when the one or more IC balls 406a-b depress the plunger 202 downward. This keeps the first set of the one or more protrusions 208 and/or the barrel 204 in electrical contact with the one or more contact pads 408 within the top PCB 404a so that the IC chip 101 is electrically connected with the top PCB 404a to allow high frequency signals to pass through the one or more traces 410 of the top PCB 404a.

[0047] FIG. 6C shows the test system 100 having the socket structure 600 using the elastomer sheet 602 as the socket retainer 104 to support, hold and/or provide an upward force on a distal end of the barrel 204 of the electrical contact probe 108. The elastomer sheet 602 surrounds or encloses the tip 210 and the distal end of the barrel 204 of the electrical contact probe 108. When the one or more IC chip balls 404a-b depress the plunger 202 downward, the elastomer sheet 602 that surrounds or encloses the distal end of the barrel 204 holds the barrel 204 in place by providing an upward counterforce to the downward force of the IC chip balls 404a-b. This holds the barrel 204 in place and maintains the first set of the one or more protrusions 208 and/or the barrel 204 in electrical contact with the one or more contact pads 408 within the top PCB 404a. Thus, the IC chip balls 404a-b maintain electrical contact with the top PCB 404a via the electrical contact probes 108.

[0048] FIG. 7 shows the test system 100 having a socket structure 700 using a floating elastomer sheet or plate (or“floating plate”) 702 with a conductive column 704 to maintain electrical contact between the IC chip 101 and the top PCB 404a. The floating plate 702 may be formed from an elastomer sheet. The floating plate 702 may be positioned on a top PCB 404a and may have a conductive column 704 within. The conductive column 704 may be metallic and may be shaped as a“T”, cylinder, square, rectangle or other polygon. A top portion of the conductive column 704 may be positioned within the floating plate 702, and a bottom portion of the conductive column 704 may be positioned within the top PCB 404a in electrical contact with the one or more contact pads 408 of the top PCB 404a. One or more portions of the floating plate 702 and/or the top PCB 404a may rest or be positioned on one or more springs 706a-b or other floating devices coupled to the socket body 102 and/or socket retainer 104. The floating plate 702 and/or the top PCB 404a may float on top of the one or more springs 706a-b. For example, a left portion of the top PCB 404a may rest on the spring 706a and a right portion of the top PCB 404a may rest on the spring 706b. The two or more springs 706a-b allow the floating plate 702 and/or the top PCB 404a to have some degree of lateral and vertical motion so that the floating plate 702 and/or the top PCB 404a may float on top of the socket body 102 and/or the socket retainer 104.

[0049] The IC chip 101 may have multiple IC chip balls 406a-c, which may contact multiple electrical contact probes 108a-c. For example, The IC chip balls 406a, 406c contact the first electrical contact probe 108a and the third electrical contact probe 108c, respectively. Whereas, the IC chip ball 406b contacts the conductive column 704 within the floating plate 702 and/or the top PCB 404a.

[0050] The test system 100 may have multiple electrical contact probes 108 with various lengths. For example, the multiple electrical contact probes 108 may include a first electrical contact probe 108a and a third electrical contact probe 108c having a first length and a second electrical contact probe 108b having a second length that is shorter than the first length. The second electrical contact probe 108b may be positioned in between the first electrical contact probe 108a and the third electrical contact probe 108c. The second electrical contact probe 108b may be non-conductive and may hold the top PCB 404a or provide an upward counterforce so that the top PCB 404a is not depressed further and/or deformed when the IC chip 101 is depresses the floating plate 702 downward. The upward counterforce facilitates and maintains the electrical contact between the IC chip ball 406b and the conductive column 704 when the floating plate 702 and/or the top PCB 404a is depressed downward.

[0051] When the IC chip 101 is compressed downward, the IC chip ball 406b may contact and push the floating plate 702, the conductive column 704 within the floating plate 702 and/or the top PCB 404a downward to connect the IC chip 101 with the top PCB 404a via one or more traces 410 and/or one or more contact pads 408 within the top PCB 404a. The electrical contact probe 108b provides an upward counterforce so that the IC chip ball 406b maintains electrical contact with the conductive column 704, which is in contact with the one or more contact pads 408 and/or the one or more traces 410 of the top PCB 404a. The high frequency signal may pass from the IC chip ball 406b through the conductive column 704 to one or more traces 410 within the top PCB 404a to transmit to another component, such as one or more embedded components 412.

[0052] In some implementations, the first electrical contact probe 108a and the third electrical contact probe 108c may be designed to form an electrical connection between the IC chip balls 406a and 406c, respectively, with a bottom PCB 404b. Whereas, the second electrical contact probe 108b that is shorter in length is designed to assist the IC chip ball 406b to form an electrical connection with the top PCB 404a when the floating plate 702 is depressed downward. By allowing the first electrical contact probe 108a to form the electrical connection with the bottom PCB 404b, lower frequency signals may pass through the bottom PCB 404b. And by allowing the second electrical contact probe 108b to hold the floating plate 702, the IC chip ball 406b electrically connects with the top PCB 404a via the conductive column 704 so that higher frequency signals may pass through the top PCB 404a to another component.

[0053] Exemplary embodiments of the methods/systems have been disclosed in an illustrative style. Accordingly, the terminology employed throughout should be read in a nonlimiting manner. Although minor modifications to the teachings herein will occur to those well versed in the art, it shall be understood that what is intended to be circumscribed within the scope of the patent warranted hereon are all such embodiments that reasonably fall within the scope of the advancement to the art hereby contributed, and that that scope shall not be restricted, except in light of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector assembly for connecting an integrated circuit chip to a printed circuit board, the electrical connector assembly comprising:

a socket body;

a socket retainer aligned with the socket body to form a socket cavity;

a spring probe positioned within the socket cavity to electrically connect the integrated circuit chip with the printed circuit board; and

a contact inducing device configured to ensure that the spring probe contacts one or more traces within the printed circuit board when the spring probe is depressed or received within the socket cavity.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more contact pads positioned within the printed circuit board and configured to be electrically connected or coupled to one or more traces of the printed circuit board.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the contact inducing device is an outer spring positioned around a barrel of the spring probe, wherein the outer spring facilitates contact of one or more protrusions of the spring probe with the one or more contact pads within the printed circuit board when a downward force is applied on the spring probe.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the outer spring is configured to apply an upward or an outward force that is opposite the downward force, respectively, to maintain an electrical connection between the one or more protrusions and the one or more contact pads.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the contact inducing device is a conductive elastomer ring and the spring probe has a plunger with a bulge, wherein the wherein the bulge interfaces with the conductive elastomer ring to maintain or establish an electrical connection between the integrated circuit chip and the printed circuit board.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 5, wherein the bulge is placed into contact with the conductive elastomer ring to electrically connect the integrated circuit chip with the one or more contact pads when a downward force is applied on the plunger.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the spring probe has a plunger, a barrel and one or more protrusions on the barrel, wherein the contact inducing device is an elastomer sheet that is configured to retain the barrel in a fixed position to maintain contact between the one or more protrusions and one or more contact pads within the printed circuit board.

8. The electrical connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the elastomer sheet is positioned between the socket body and the socket retainer.

9. An electrical connector assembly for connecting an integrated circuit chip to a printed circuit board, the electrical connector assembly comprising:

a socket body having a socket cavity;

a spring probe positioned within the socket cavity to electrically connect the integrated circuit chip with the printed circuit board; and at least one of an elastomer sheet, a conductive elastomer ring, or an outer spring configured to ensure that the spring probe is electrically coupled with the printed circuit board even when the spring probe is depressed within the socket cavity.

10. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the elastomer sheet, the conductive elastomer ring or the outer spring is the outer spring, wherein the outer spring is positioned around the spring probe and is configured to maintain an electrical connection between one or more protrusions of the spring probe and one or more contact pads within the printed circuit board when a downward force is applied on the spring probe.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the elastomer sheet, the conductive elastomer ring or the outer spring is the elastomer spring, wherein the elastomer spring is conductive and in contact with one or more contact pads within the printed circuit board and the spring probe has a plunger with a bulge.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 11, wherein the bulge is placed into contact with the conductive elastomer ring to electrically connect the integrated circuit chip with the one or more contact pads when a downward force is applied on the spring probe.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the elastomer sheet, the elastomer ring or the outer spring is the elastomer sheet.

14. The electrical connector assembly of claim 13, further comprising: a socket retainer configured to form the socket cavity with the socket body, wherein the elastomer sheet is positioned in between the socket body and the socket retainer and configured to hold one or more rings of a barrel of the spring probe.

15. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the spring probe has a plunger and a barrel with one or more rings, wherein the elastomer sheet holds the one or more rings of the barrel in a fixed position in contact with one or more contact pads of the printed circuit board when the plunger is depressed.

16. The electrical connector assembly of claim 13, wherein the spring probe has a plunger and a barrel, wherein the elastomer sheet holds the barrel in a fixed position in contact with one or more contact pads of the printed circuit board when the plunger is depressed.

17. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a socket retainer configured to form the socket cavity with the socket body, wherein the socket body is made of a conductive material with an insulated layer, wherein the spring probe and socket body form a coaxial structure.

18. An electrical connector assembly for connecting an integrated circuit chip to one or more printed circuit boards, the electrical connector assembly comprising:

a socket body;

a floating plate formed from an elastomer sheet positioned on a first printed circuit board in between the floating plate and the socket body and having a conductive column within the first printed circuit board, the floating plate being configured to float on top of the socket body; and a plurality of spring probes including a first spring probe and a second spring probe, the first spring probe being configured to contact the conductive column within the first printed circuit board.

19. The electrical connector assembly of claim 18, wherein first spring probe has a length that is shorter than a length of the second spring probe, wherein the second spring probe is configured to contact a second printed board positioned below the socket body.

20. The electrical connector assembly of claim 18, further comprising:

one or more springs coupled to the socket body and the floating plate and configured to allow the floating plate to float on top of the socket body, wherein the conductive column contacts the first spring probe when a downward force is applied to the floating plate.