Methods for establishing electrical connections by drawing one or both of an element of an electrical connector and a contact toward the other

Abstract

A method for establishing an electrical connection includes drawing at least one of a member of an electrical connector and a contact in communication with at least one device. The drawing may be affected nonrigidly. It may occur in a direction substantially normal to a plane of the semiconductor device. Attractive forces, such as magnetic attraction, may cause the drawing. The establishment of electrical connection in this manner may be used in stress testing of semiconductor devices or to otherwise establish an electrical connection between one or more semiconductor devices and a ground, or power source.

1 . A method for establishing a temporary electrical contact with at least one semiconductor device, comprising: 
 drawing at least one of a first member of an electrical connector and a contact that is in electrical communication with at least one semiconductor device toward the other of the first member and the contact to establish a temporary electrical contact between the first member and the contact.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drawing is effected in a direction substantially normal to a plane of the contact.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drawing is effected in a direction substantially normal to a plane of a substrate upon which the contact is carried.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drawing is effected by positioning a second member of the electrical connector opposite the first member.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein drawing is effected by attracting at least one of the first member and the second member toward at least the other of the first member and the second member.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein drawing comprises securing the first and second members to a substrate upon which the contact is carried.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drawing comprises securing the first member to the contact.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drawing comprises magnetically drawing.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 permitting an electrical current to flow from at least one of the electrical connector and the contact to the other of the contact and the electrical connector as the temporary electrical contact is maintained    
     
     
         10 . A method for stress testing a plurality of semiconductor devices carried upon a common substrate and in communication with common ground and power contacts, comprising: 
 drawing at least one of a first member of an electrical connector and at least one contact of a ground contact and a power contact toward the other of the first member and the at least one contact to establish and maintain a temporary electrical contact between the first member and the at least one contact.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein drawing is effected in a direction substantially normal to a plane of the common substrate.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein drawing nonrigidly biases the first member against the at least one contact.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein drawing comprises positioning a second member of the electrical connector opposite the substrate from the first member.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first member and the second member is drawn toward at least the other of the first member and the second member.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein drawing comprises attracting at least one of the first member and the second member toward at least the other of the first member and the second member.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein drawing comprises securing the first member to the at least one contact.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein drawing comprises securing at least the first member in position relative to the substrate.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein drawing comprises magnetically drawing.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 permitting an electrical current to flow from at least one of the electrical connector and the contact to the other of the contact and the electrical connector as the temporary electrical contact is maintained    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 electrically connecting another first member of another electrical connector to another of the ground contact and the power contact; and    drawing the another first member toward the another contact.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 applying a substantially constant amount of current to each semiconductor device of the plurality of semiconductor devices through the first member and the another first member.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: heating each of the plurality of semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein heating comprises cycling a temperature of each of the plurality of semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein heating comprises varying a temperature of each of the plurality of semiconductor devices.