IC Socket Connectors

What are IC Sockets?
Most of our everyday electrical devices contain integrated circuits (ICs) or chips which are installed on the printed circuit board (PCB). Most chips are soldered directly onto the board but sometimes they need to be interchangeable, or removed, and this is when an IC Socket is used.
The IC socket fits onto the board and holds the chip, protecting it from heat damage which could be caused by soldering. Programmable chips are a great example where IC sockets are used, allowing removal for testing, programming or replacement due to failure.

IC (Integrated circuit) Sockets

IC Sockets connector is designed to provide a compressive interconnect between component leads and a printed circuit board (PCB). This connector is designed to provide a compressive interconnect between component leads and a printed circuit board (PCB). It simplifies the board design, enables simple reprogramming and expansion and easy repair and replacement, and offers a cost-effective solution without the risk of direct soldering. With a wide range of solutions for land grid array (LGA) and pin grid array (PGA) sockets, this connector features contact tip geometry optimized to reduce risk of contact damage during handling and package installation.

Antenk offer a comprehensive range of DIP, SIP and PGA Sockets to suit most multiple electrical applications. 

Types of IC Sockets
DIL /DIP– Dual in-line. These have two parallel rows of pins, available in various numbers to match the relevant IC and are normally very cost effective. A larger socket can be created by placing two smaller ones together, end-to-end, e.g. two 8-pins become 16-pin. 

SIL/SIP – Single in-line. This socket has a single line of pins and are frequently used in smaller applications like resistor arrays or boards with short lead pins, such as a desktop computer. There are many different sizes and attributes available.

PGA – Pin Grid Array Sockets. Complex printed circuits are too valuable to risk direct soldering to expensive integrated circuits (ICs). Using a socket is the answer. The use of sockets offers advantages that prove cost effective and simplify board design.

DIMM – Dual In-line Memory Module. Random Access Memory (RAM) can be easily installed in computers or laptops using DIMM sockets. These are important components that help to ensure reliable connectivity. They have two separate rows of electrical contacts or pins on either side. It`s a general rule that the more pins the higher the RAM it supports. There are various pin sizes available.

SIMM – Single In-line Memory Module. These have a single row of pins which connect memory modules to circuit boards. They are space saving and can be installed at predetermined angles with positive polarisation to prevent memory modules from being inserted incorrectly. They are used mainly in older computers dating from the 1980s to late 1990s. Available in various sizes and number of pins.

IC Sockets Connector/Integrated circuit Sockets   Typical Applications 

In notebook and desktop computers, LGA sockets feature a robust bolster plate for reliable connection to the microprocessor package while limiting PCB bowing during compression. 

In servers, our mPGA and PGA sockets -- with custom arrays available in more than 1,000 positions --offer zero insertion force (ZIF) interface to the microprocessor PGA package and attach to the PCB with surface-mount technology (SMT) soldering. Antenk's IC sockets are designed for higher performance CPU processors.