Importance

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Abstract

In a socket used to house semiconductor die during testing, a recessed socket contact is provided that avoids pinching the die's contacts. Also provided are socket contacts that allow for smaller socket holes and, therefore, denser arrays of socket contacts. In one embodiment, the body of the socket contact comprises a head, a spring coupled to the head, and a shaft coupled to the spring; no outer shell is needed for the spring, as the non-conductive sides of the socket hole serve that function. In another embodiment, the body of the socket contact comprises a metal shaft having an aperture. Compression causes the shaft to close around the slit, thereby decreasing the amount of lateral buckling. In yet another embodiment, semiconductor fabrication techniques are used to construct a dense array of contacts.

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First Claim