What's New @ IEEE in Circuits

VOLUME 6 NUMBER 8 AUGUST 2005

CONTENTS:
1. "Proceedings of the IEEE" Focuses on Flexible Electronics
2. New Online Research Tools Now Available in IEEE Xplore 2.1
3. Radio-Frequency Workshop Launches First Meeting in Singapore
4. Predicting Optics Lifetimes Critical to New Chip Manufacturing
5. Financial-Planning Discounts Available to U.S. IEEE Members
6. Proceedings of Circuits and Systems Symposium Released
7. Sensors Could Aid in Disease Detection, Monitoring
8. December Submission Deadline Announced for Multimedia Conference
9. Physicists Create 2-D Atomic Crystals
10. Mid-October Deadline Announced for Semiconductor Workshop Papers
11. Nanotube-Based Electronics Made by Dipping Chips into Liquid Carbon
12. Brain Implant Would Be First to Control Prosthesis in Humans

WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK IN IEEE XPLORE?
Find the latest technical papers online:
ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/newinfo.jsp

1. "PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE" FOCUSES ON FLEXIBLE ELECTRONICS
This month, a two-part examination of flexible electronics technology continues in "Proceedings of the IEEE," the flagship journal of the IEEE. The July issue (vol. 93, n. 7) will focus on systems and applications, while the August issue (vol. 93 n. 8) will examine materials and devices. The term flexible macroelectronics represents a range of device and materials technologies built on flexible and conformal substrates, such as thin plastic or metal foils. Papers in these issues place a special emphasis on ideas and concepts that will enable commercial applications of flexible and large area electronics. To preview the issues, visit: ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=5

2. NEW ONLINE RESEARCH TOOLS NOW AVAILABLE IN IEEE XPLORE 2.1
IEEE members can now take advantage of many new research features available through IEEE Xplore 2.1, the online delivery platform that powers IEEE member subscriptions. Through this latest version of IEEE Xplore, members can purchase IEEE standards directly, for instant downloads, at members-only prices. Also, a display of bibliographic information has been enhanced on various pages throughout the site. Digital Object Identifier (DOI), Volume number, Issue number, Page number(s), and Author/Title are displayed on all tables of contents, search results, IEEE Member Digital Library file cabinets, Abstracts, and AbstractPlus pages. Members can also search the metadata of all current book titles from Wiley-IEEE Press and Wiley-IEEE Computer Society Press. Try these new features today at: ieeexplore.ieee.org

3. RADIO-FREQUENCY WORKSHOP LAUNCHES FIRST MEETING IN SINGAPORE
The IEEE International Workshop on Radio-Frequency Integration Technology (RFIT) will unveil its first meeting 30 November to 2 December in Singapore. The workshop aims to enhance the knowledge of researchers with its central theme, "Integrated Circuits for Wideband Communications and Wireless Sensor Networks." RFIT is organized in conjunction with the Institute of Microelectronics and IEEE Singapore MTT/AP & SSCS Chapters. For more information, or to register, visit: www.ime.a-star.edu.sg/rfit2005/IME/rightmain.htm

Don't miss the next conference you need for your career. IEEE sponsors more than 300 technical conferences and workshops each year, highlighting the latest technological advances. Find events through the IEEE ConferenceSearch Web site at: www.ieee.org/conferencesearch

4. PREDICTING OPTICS LIFETIMES CRITICAL TO NEW CHIP MANUFACTURING
Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) may be the next-generation technique to produce smaller and faster microchips, but durable projection optics must be developed before this laboratory technique can become commercially viable, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST is creating a measurement system for testing of the mirrors used in EUVL, which are only 7 nanometers thick and deposited with near-atomic-scale precision. A commercial lithography instrument may require six of these delicate mirrors at more than US$1 million each, which can be rapidly degraded by the combination of harsh EUV radiation and trace levels of water vapor and hydrocarbons found in current manufacturing processes. A loss of just 1 to 2 percent of a mirror's reflectivity renders the optical system useless for producing nanometer-resolution circuit features. Read more: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050727061845.htm

5. FINANCIAL-PLANNING DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO U.S. IEEE MEMBERS
IEEE members in the United States can now receive discounts on a full suite of services from Grogan Financial Planning Services. The services provide a 25-percent discount on estate, life, retirement, insurance, and college financial plans. Other offers include a free portfolio review for members, as well as strategy development and implementation guidance to improve financial goals. To learn more, visit: www.efs529.com/ieeefinancial/intro.cfm

This is one of many benefits available to IEEE members through the IEEE Financial Advantage Plan. For full information, visit: www.ieee.org/fap

6. PROCEEDINGS OF CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS SYMPOSIUM RELEASED
The rising demand for new medical technologies -- like biomedical circuits and systems, VLSI Systems and Applications, and bionics and biomedical applications -- are addressed in the newly released proceeding from the 2005 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems. The proceedings are now available through ShopIEEE. Visit: shop.ieee.org/ieeestore/Product.aspx?product_no=CH37618
***IEEE members save up to 60% off the list price for conference proceedings titles***

7. SENSORS COULD AID IN DISEASE DETECTION, MONITORING
Pathogen-specific sensors that use microprocessors could potentially have a significant impact on developing nations thanks to two new advancements in biomedicine, according to an article from WorldChanging.com. Models of a new tool for counting CD4 lymphocytes in the blood of HIV/AIDS patients and a device that detects pathogens of all kinds have already been used by researchers to reduce costs of CD4 monitoring and make HIV health monitoring more widely available. One of the researchers' goals is to produce a battery-powered, hand-held device that uses light emitting diodes and takes digital images of a person's blood, which is analyzed with video imaging chips. For the biosensor device, the researchers aim to place artificial cells that match the components of the target pathogens into a sensor, letting the doctor know if a pathogen is present. To read more, go to: www.worldchanging.com/archives/003153.html

8. DECEMBER SUBMISSION DEADLINE ANNOUNCED FOR MULTIMEDIA CONFERENCE
The paper submission deadline for the 2006 IEEE International Conference on Multimedia & Expo is 31 December. The conference, which takes place next July in Toronto, Canada, will accept papers based on a broad range of topics concerning multimedia technologies, including audio, image, video processing, hardware and software for multimedia systems, multimedia applications, virtual reality, and 3-D imaging. Awards will be given for best paper and best student paper. For more information, visit: www.icme2006.org/

9. PHYSICISTS CREATE 2-D ATOMIC CRYSTALS
By rubbing the freshly split surface of a layered crystal onto another surface, physicists in the UK and Russia recently produced large, two-dimensional crystals that could be used for creating transistors and sensors, according to an article from PhysicsWeb. In one previous experiment, the group first created 2-D crystals through a combination of peeling layers of carbon atoms, using standard lithography techniques to process the films and microscopy. As a result, just about any property of matter can be studied using 2-D materials. The discovery may be used to develop such technologies as field-effect transistors and translational motors. Read more: physicsweb.org/articles/news/9/7/13/1

10. MID-OCTOBER DEADLINE ANNOUNCED FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WORKSHOP PAPERS
The deadline for abstract submissions to the 21st IEEE Nonvolatile Semiconductor Memory Workshop is 14 October. The workshop, which takes place 12 to 26 February 2006 in Monterey, California, USA, seeks papers on a wide scope of topics surrounding nonvolatile semiconductor memory technology, including device physics, testing, quality and reliability, programmable logic, and much more. Accepted papers will be included in a bound book and CD-ROM to be distributed to all participants of the workshop. For more information, visit: www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/eds/nvsmw/2006_call_for_papers.htm

11. NANOTUBE-BASED ELECTRONICS MADE BY DIPPING CHIPS INTO LIQUID CARBON
Physicists at the University of Pennsylvania, USA, say they have discovered a way to create nanotube-based electronics by dipping semiconductor chips into liquid suspensions of carbon nanotubes instead of growing the nanotubes directly on circuit surfaces. After the chips are dunked into the carbon-filled nanotubes, the nanotubes that stick to its surface can be manipulated to adhere to specific areas. This method of applying minute nanotubes onto circuits can be utilized in flexible electronics and high-speed microprocessors. Read more: scienceblog.com/cms/node/8553

12. BRAIN IMPLANT WOULD BE FIRST TO CONTROL PROSTHESIS IN HUMANS
Surgeons at the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, say they will implant a chip in a human brain to control a robotic arm by 2008, according to an article from Roland Piquepaille's Technology Trends. The surgery would be the first human application in which a chip that can translate nerve pulses into electric pulses will be used to move a prosthetic limb. Previously, monkeys were taught to directly control the movements of an artificial actuator by using a brain-machine interface driven by the activity of a sample of cortical neurons. Read more: www.primidi.com/2005/07/13.html

WHAT'S NEW @ IEEE IN CIRCUITS is a monthly, opt-in email update designed to provide you with the latest news regarding IEEE activities, industry trends, career development tips, and new IEEE product releases. We welcome your feedback on this service.

Managing Editor: John Platt j.platt@ieee.org
Contributing Editors: Julie Compton, Robert J. Howe, Brian Pederson

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