What's New @ IEEE in Circuits

VOLUME 5 NUMBER 11 NOVEMBER 2004

CONTENTS:
1. Optical Switch Speeds Data Transmissions in Photonic Circuits
2. More IEEE Articles Now Available Online Before Print Publication
3. New Mixed Beam Process Etches Metal More Precisely
4. IEEE Members Select Lightner As 2005 President-Elect
5. Chip Interfaces with Cortical Brain Cells in Flight Simulator
6. 2004 ISCAS Proceedings Apply Biological Models to Circuits
7. Japanese Researchers Develop Thin Multilayer Circuit Board
8. Market Surveyor Predicts Growth of Wearable PC Market
9. View from the Top: IEEE Spectrum Reports
10. Are Carbon Chips in the Making?
11. IEEE Member Digital Library Offers Incentive for New Subscribers
12. Backscatter: The Hat Trick -- Having it Both Ways

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1. OPTICAL SWITCH SPEEDS DATA TRANSMISSIONS IN PHOTONIC CIRCUITS
A low-power light beam has been shown to be more sensitive to small changes in refractive indexes and could reduce the size of all-optical switches for fiber-optic data transmissions. Developed by Assistant Professor Michel Lipson and a team of researchers at the Cornell Nanophysics Research Institute, the miniaturized optical switch channels light through a ring resonator 10 micrometers in diameter and pulses a low-power light beam to turn the switch on and off. Silicon triggers the two-photon absorption phenomena, absorbing light to create holes that alter the state of the switch. Theoretically, the process takes place in tenths of a picosecond and could speed data transmissions through fiber-optic cables. Learn more:
www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-10/cuns-olb102204.php

2. MORE IEEE ARTICLES NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE BEFORE PRINT PUBLICATION
The number of IEEE journals posting accepted papers online in advance of their print publication has grown to 27. This rapid posting of articles allows online subscribers to access this content via IEEE Xplore®, and quickly disseminates the work of IEEE authors to the scientific community. These articles have passed through all editorial processes, including peer review, and are not available in print until the issue is completed, which in some cases may be several weeks away. IEEE Xplore users can find these papers by clicking on the "Accepted for Future Publication" link on a journal's table of contents page. For all list of all IEEE rapid dissemination publications, visit: www.ieee.org/products/onlinepubs/news/1104_02.html

To view all pre-print articles in IEEE Xplore, subscribers can search on keywords "Accepted for Future" when they visit: www.ieee.org/ieeexplore

3. NEW MIXED BEAM PROCESS ETCHES METAL MORE PRECISELY
The build-up of positive ions on insulating materials in semiconductors defocuses the ion beam, making it less effective, say researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Laurence Berkeley National Laboratory, who have developed a novel mixed beam ion-diffusion technology to resolve this dilemma. The device arranges electrodes between two plasma chambers to filter positive ions out and combines an ion and electron beam to etch a stenciled shape onto a sample. Ion beam technology is currently used to analyze ICs, repair mask defects in semiconductors, dope semiconductors, etch images on thin film and analyze biological systems, among other applications. For more information, visit: www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/physik_astronomie/bericht-35685.html

4. IEEE MEMBERS SELECT LIGHTNER AS 2005 PRESIDENT-ELECT
Michael R. Lightner, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science at the College of Engineering and Applied Science at University of Colorado at Boulder, has been selected 2005 IEEE president-elect. Pending acceptance of the Teller's Committee report by the IEEE Board of Directors, Lightner will begin serving as IEEE president on 1 January 2006. He will succeed 2005 IEEE President W. Cleon Anderson, chief project engineer at L-3 Communication Systems-West in Salt Lake City, Utah. For additional election results, please visit: www.ieee.org/portal/pages/newsinfo/elections04.html

5. CHIP INTERFACES WITH CORTICAL BRAIN CELLS IN FLIGHT SIMULATOR
A biologically alive neural network controls ten percent of the stick deviation in a F-22 flight simulator, say researchers who developed the technology at the University of Florida. A monolayer of cortical brain cells harvested from rats is set on top of a chip and stimulated at 64 points with electrode pulses to produce a neural network that learns how to stabilize the plane so that the plane flies "true." Researchers are now imprinting images onto the neural network to improve the navigational capacity of the chip. Learn more: www.eet.com/article/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=51201111

6. 2004 ISCAS PROCEEDINGS APPLY BIOLOGICAL MODELS TO CIRCUITS
Biomedical breakthroughs affect computing paradigms, as shown by key advances in neural networks, multimodal sensing, artificial intelligence, bionics and other similar technologies. The proceedings of the 2004 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (2004 ISCAS) highlight the biomedical dynamics and trends influencing the progress of contemporary circuits research. The proceedings also feature solutions to current challenges in mixed-signal/RF design and CAD, information assurance and data hiding, multirate systems for communications, ultrawideband systems and frequency-response masking techniques. For more information, or to purchase the proceedings, visit: shop.ieee.org/store/product.asp?prodno=CH37512
***IEEE members save up to 60% off the list price for conference proceedings titles***

7. JAPANESE RESEARCHERS DEVELOP THIN MULTILAYER CIRCUIT BOARD
A new high-performance circuit board that is only 200 microns thick contains 20 multilayers of circuits and is more energy efficient, more eco-friendly and more easily mass produced than traditional multilayer circuits, say researchers at Seiko Epson Corp. Funded in part by the independent Japanese agency New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), this technology relies on an ultra-precise inkjet system to disperse conductive ink and insulator ink to create multilayer circuits. Learn more about this technology and its potential applications at: www.physorg.com/printnews.php?newsid=1789

8. MARKET SURVEYOR PREDICTS GROWTH OF WEARABLE PC MARKET
Synchronized watches, pens and items of clothing may become the next generation's personal computer, predict market surveyors at The Gartner Group. The market researchers expect 75 percent of Japanese teenagers to own a wearable PC within the next five years. In anticipation of a new market for wearable PCs, chipmakers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are developing miniaturized chips for wearable data storage and battery packs. Learn more: http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200410/200410280031.html

9. VIEW FROM THE TOP: IEEE SPECTRUM REPORTS
Where has technology taken us in the last 40 years, and where might it go next? To celebrate its 40th anniversary, IEEE Spectrum magazine has invited 40 of "technology's masterminds" to look back and look forward. Included are comments from Craig R. Barrett, William A. Wulf, C. Gordon Bell and many others. Find out what they have to say at: www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature/nov04/1104lumi.html

10. ARE CARBON CHIPS IN THE MAKING?
Researchers have used the electrical properties of carbon to form carbon nanotubes but have yet to develop viable logic circuits with this developing technology, according to an article in Technology Research News Magazine. A process to create sheets of carbon atoms with electrical properties equivalent to carbon nanotubes produces carbon wafers that are more compatible with today's chip making technologies, say researchers at the University of Manchester in England and the Institute for Microelectronics in Russia. The U.S. based Georgia Institute of Technology predicts that their vaporization process will make ultra thin graphite for carbon chips available on the market within five years. Learn more about the innovations challenging silicon chip making technologies at: www.trnmag.com/Stories/2004/110304/Ultrathin_carbon_speeds_circuits_110304.html

11. IEEE MEMBER DIGITAL LIBRARY OFFERS INCENTIVE FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS
IEEE members who add a new subscription to the IEEE Member Digital Library between now and 31 December will receive their first month of service free. A subscription to this members-only online library provides instant access to the full text of IEEE's 90 journals, 32 magazines and over 400 annual conferences proceedings. To start your IEEE Member Digital Library subscription and renew your IEEE membership for 2005, visit: www.ieee.org/renewal/

To read more about the IEEE Member Digital Library, visit: www.ieee.org/ieeemdl

12. BACKSCATTER: THE HAT TRICK -- HAVING IT BOTH WAYS
In his latest column, Don Christiansen says we seem to be living in an era where the past is denigrated: neighbors are embarrassed if their home, or its decor, is "outdated"; if we don't have the latest version of an ISP program, we're "technically disadvantaged"; and it has become acceptable to boast about one MP3 player's superiority over another. As agents of change, what role do engineers play in innovation and its sometimes-unanticipated consequences? And what effects do the standards/protocols that engineers employ have on the innovation process? Christiansen invites you to share your thoughts on these questions and more in the latest edition of IEEE-USA Today's Engineer: www.todaysengineer.org/2004/nov/backscatter.asp

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
Editor: Bhavika Desai
Contributing Editor: Peg Gallos

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