Hole grid array package and socket technology

Abstract

A chip interface assembly and method of assembling a chip interface provide enhanced performance. The chip interface assembly includes a semiconductor package and a socket. The semiconductor package has a female contact architecture, where the female contact architecture is mated with a male contact architecture of the socket. By reversing the traditional male/female arrangement of conventional interconnection interfaces, difficulties associated with signaling throughput, clearance, hardware complexity and electrical losses can be obviated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A chip interface assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor package;    a socket; and    said semiconductor package having a female contact architecture, the female contact architecture being mated with a male contact architecture of the socket.    
     
     
         2 . The interface assembly of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor package includes: 
 a substrate having a socket interfaces surface;  
 surfaces defining a hole grid array in the socket interface surface; and  
 an electrically conductive material coupled to the surfaces defining the hole grid array such that the electrically conductive material enables electrical connection between a socket side of the substrate and one or more integrated circuit (IC) layers of the substrate.  
 
     
     
         3 . The interface assembly of  claim 2  wherein the electrically conductive material includes metal plating.  
     
     
         4 . The interface assembly of  claim 2  wherein the semiconductor package further includes a package stabilization structure extending from the socket interface surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         5 . The interface assembly of  claim 4  wherein the package stabilization structure includes a plurality of posts.  
     
     
         6 . The interface assembly of  claim 5  wherein the posts are positioned outside a field defined by the hole grid array.  
     
     
         7 . The interface assembly of  claim 5  wherein the posts have a cylindrical geometry.  
     
     
         8 . The interface assembly of  claim 1  wherein the socket includes: 
 a base; and  
 a plurality of contacts disposed within the base;  
 said contacts having first ends extending beyond a package interface surface of the base.  
 
     
     
         9 . The interface assembly of  claim 8  wherein the first ends of the contacts have a curvature such that the curvature results in a spring force when the contacts are mated with the female contact architecture.  
     
     
         10 . The interface assembly of  claim 8  wherein the socket further includes an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism enabling movement of the package relative to the base to selectively engage the contacts with the female contact architecture.  
     
     
         11 . The interface assembly of  claim 10  wherein the actuation mechanism includes: 
 a lever; and  
 an outer body operatively coupled to the lever such that rotation of the lever in a first direction causes the outer body to force the female contact architecture into engagement with the contacts and rotation of the lever in a second direction causes the outer body to force the female contact architecture out of engagement with the contacts.  
 
     
     
         12 . The interface assembly of  claim 11  wherein the outer body includes surfaces defining a plurality of socket apertures, the socket apertures operative to receive a package stabilization structure of the semiconductor package.  
     
     
         13 . The interface assembly of  claim 12  wherein the socket apertures are operative to receive a plurality of posts.  
     
     
         14 . The interface assembly of  claim 12  wherein the socket apertures have an oval shape.  
     
     
         15 . A semiconductor package comprising: 
 a substrate having a socket interface surface;    surfaces defining a hole grid array (HGA) in the socket interface surface; and    an electrically conductive material coupled to the surfaces defining the HGA such that the electrically conductive material enables electrical connection between a socket side of the substrate and one or more integrated circuit (IC) layers of the substrate.    
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 15  wherein the electrically conductive material includes metal plating.  
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 15  further including a package stabilization structure extending from the socket interface surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 17  wherein the package stabilization structure includes a plurality of posts.  
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 18  wherein the posts are positioned outside a field defined by the HGA.  
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 18  wherein the posts have a cylindrical geometry.  
     
     
         21 . A socket comprising: 
 a base; and    a plurality of contacts disposed within the base;    said contacts having first ends extending beyond a package interface surface of the base such that the contacts enable the socket to be mated with a female contact architecture of a semiconductor package.    
     
     
         22 . The socket of  claim 21  wherein the first ends of the contacts have a curvature such that the curvature results in a spring force when the contacts are mated with the female contact architecture.  
     
     
         23 . The socket of  claim 21  further including an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism enabling movement of the package relative to the base to selectively engage the contacts with the female contact architecture.  
     
     
         24 . The socket of  claim 23  wherein the actuation mechanism includes: 
 a lever; and  
 an outer body operatively coupled to the lever such that rotation of the lever in a first direction causes the outer body to force the female contact architecture into engagement with the contacts and rotation of the lever in a second direction causes the outer body to force the female contact architecture out of engagement with the contacts.  
 
     
     
         25 . A chip interface assembly comprising: 
 a substrate having a socket interface surface;    surfaces defining a hole grid array (HGA) in the socket interface surface;    an electrically conductive material coupled to the surfaces defining the HGA such that the electrically conductive material enables electrical connection between a socket side of the substrate and one or more integrated circuit (IC) layers of the substrate;    said electrically conductive material including metal plating;    a base; and    a plurality of contacts disposed within the base;    said contacts having first ends extending beyond a package interface surface of the base and second ends coupled to a printed circuit board (PCB);    said first ends of the contacts having a curvature such that the curvature results in a spring force when the socket is mated with the HGA.    
     
     
         26 . The interface assembly of  claim 25  further including a package stabilization structure extending from the board side of the substrate.  
     
     
         27 . The interface assembly of  claim 25  further including an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism enabling movement of the substrate relative to the base to selectively engage the contacts with the HGA.  
     
     
         28 . A method of assembling a chip interface, the method comprising: 
 providing a semiconductor package having a female contact architecture;    positioning a male contact architecture of a socket within the female contact architecture; and    manipulating an actuation mechanism in a first direction such that manipulation of the actuation mechanism causes an outer body to force the female contact architecture into engagement with the male contact architecture.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  further including providing a semiconductor package having surfaces defining a hole grid array (HGA) and an electrically conductive material coupled to the surfaces defining the HGA.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  further including positioning a plurality of contacts within the female contact architecture wherein first ends of the contacts have a curvature such that the curvature results in a spring force when the contacts are mated with the female contact architecture.