Conductive contact structures for electrostatic discharge protection in integrated circuits

Abstract

Disclosed herein are structures, devices, and methods for electrostatic discharge protection (ESDP) in integrated circuits (ICs). In some embodiments, an IC component may include a conductive contact structure that includes a first contact element and a second contact element. The first contact element may be exposed at a face of the IC component, the first contact element may be between the face of the IC component and the second contact element, the second contact element may be spaced apart from the first contact element by a gap, and the second contact element may be in electrical contact with an electrical pathway in the IC component.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An integrated circuit (IC) structure in an IC component, comprising:
 a first contact element exposed at a face of the IC component, the first contact element in electrical contact with a first electrical pathway in the IC component; and   a second contact element exposed at the face of the IC component, the second contact element in electrical contact with a second electrical pathway in the IC component, wherein:
 the first contact element is separated from the second contact element by a first distance parallel to the face of the IC component and by a second distance perpendicular to the face of the IC component, 
 the first contact element spans the first distance, and 
 a portion of the first contact element that spans the second distance is in adjustable physical contact with the second contact element. 
   
     
     
         22 . The IC structure of  claim 21 , wherein the adjustable physical contact includes adjustability between a first configuration in which the portion of the first contact element is in physical contact with the second contact element and a second configuration in which the portion of the first contact element is not in physical contact with the second contact element. 
     
     
         23 . The IC structure of  claim 22 , wherein application of a force normal to the face of the IC component is to adjust the physical contact between the portion of the first contact element and the second contact element. 
     
     
         24 . The IC structure of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the first contact element is deformable between an undeformed state and a deformed state,   the portion of the first contact element is in contact with the second contact element in the undeformed state, and   the portion of the first contact element is not in contact with the second contact element in the deformed state.   
     
     
         25 . The IC structure of  claim 24 , wherein:
 a first dielectric material extends across the first distance between the first contact element and the second contact element,   a second dielectric material extends across the second distance between the first contact element and the second contact element, and   the second dielectric material is deformable with the first contact element.   
     
     
         26 . The IC structure of  claim 25 , wherein the second dielectric material is air. 
     
     
         27 . The IC structure of  claim 21 , wherein the first contact element comprises a cantilever fixed at a pivot point to the first electrical pathway, the cantilever configured to pivot around the pivot point towards the face of the IC component to adjustably physically contact the second contact element. 
     
     
         28 . The IC structure of  claim 27 , wherein:
 in a first configuration, the portion of the first contact element is in contact with the second contact element and the cantilever is pivoted towards the face of the IC component, and   in a second configuration, the portion of the first contact element is not in contact with the second contact element and the cantilever is pivoted away from the face of the IC component.   
     
     
         29 . The IC structure of  claim 21 , wherein the first electrical pathway is a signal pathway, and the second electrical pathway is a ground pathway. 
     
     
         30 . An IC assembly, comprising:
 a first IC component including a conductive contact structure, the conductive contact structure comprising:   a first contact element exposed at a face of the first IC component, the first contact element in electrical contact with a first electrical pathway in the first IC component; and   a second contact element exposed at the face of the first IC component, the second contact element in electrical contact with a second electrical pathway in the first IC component, wherein a portion of the first contact element is in adjustable physical conductive contact with the second contact element;   and   a second IC component coupled to the first IC component at the face of the first IC component in one of a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein:   in the first configuration, a pin of the second IC component is in contact with the first contact element, and the first contact element is not in conductive contact with the second contact element, and   in the second configuration, the pin of the second IC component is not in contact with the first contact element, and the first contact element is in conductive contact with the second contact element.   
     
     
         31 . The IC assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the first contact element is a land grid array (LGA) contact. 
     
     
         32 . The IC assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the first contact element is separated from the second contact element in a direction perpendicular to the face of the first IC component by an air gap. 
     
     
         33 . The IC assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the first contact element is deformable to adjustably physically contact the second contact element. 
     
     
         34 . The IC assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the first contact element is cantilevered to adjustably physically contact the second contact element. 
     
     
         35 . The IC assembly of  claim 30 , wherein application of a force perpendicular to the face of the first IC component by the pin causes the first contact element to not contact the second contact element. 
     
     
         36 . The IC assembly of  claim 30  wherein the second IC component is a circuit board. 
     
     
         37 . An IC component, comprising:
 an electrostatic discharge protection (ESDP) contact structure, including:
 a first contact element in electrical contact with a signal pathway in the IC component; and 
 a second contact element in electrical contact with a ground pathway in the IC component, 
 wherein: 
 the first contact element is in electrical contact with the second contact element when the IC component is not operational, and 
 the first contact element is not in electrical contact with the second contact element when the IC component is operational. 
   
     
     
         38 . The IC component of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the first contact element is deformable between an undeformed state and a deformed state,   the first contact element is in contact with the second contact element in the undeformed state, and   the first contact element is not in contact with the second contact element in the deformed state.   
     
     
         39 . The IC component of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the first contact element and the second contact element are exposed at a face of the IC component,   the first contact element comprises a cantilever fixed at a pivot point to the signal pathway, the first contact element configured to pivot around the pivot point towards the face of the IC component to adjustably physically contact the second contact element.   
     
     
         40 . The IC component of  claim 39 , wherein:
 the first contact element is in contact with the second contact element when the cantilever is in a configuration pivoted towards the face of the IC component, and   the first contact element is not in contact with the second contact element when the cantilever is in a configuration pivoted away from the face of the IC component.