What's New @ IEEE in Circuits

VOLUME 4 NUMBER 12 DECEMBER 2003

CONTENTS:
1. Mandated Microchip Could Boost Automotive-Electronics Industry
2. Helium-Neon Laser Pinpoints Tiniest Light Spot
3. Practical Realities of Passive Integration Focus of New Wiley Book
4. Job-Seeking Opportunities Abound for IEEE Members
5. IC Design Topic at Next IEEE ISSC Conference
6. IEEE Journal Examines Interface Reliability Of Materials
7. New IEEE-SA Standard Governs Integrated Circuit Design
8. DARPA'S Grand Challenge Draws "Unorthodox" Suggestions
9. CIC Conference Publication Reflects 2003's Expanded Technical Offerings
10. Six IEEE Members Awarded Top U.S. Science and Technology Medals
11. Go Reconfigure: IEEE Spectrum Reports

IEEE MEMBERSHIP: OPENING THE WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
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1. MANDATED MICROCHIP COULD BOOST AUTOMOTIVE-ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY
The semiconductor industry could get a major boost by year-end if the U.S. government requires carmakers to install microprocessors to monitor tire pressure in new vehicles sold in North America. EE Times reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is revising tire-pressure monitoring regulations after consumer advocacy groups challenged previous proposals. Now the automotive-electronics industry could be asked to produce 80 million of these chips. Still, a windfall for some could be an enormous challenge to smaller producers. Read more at: www.eetimes.com/sys/news/OEG20031126S0044

2. HELIUM-NEON LASER PINPOINTS TINIEST LIGHT SPOT
The term "a tight spot" has new meaning now that German researchers have claimed they have produced a spot of focused light 17 times smaller than a pinhead. This development could have implications in atomic research and optical technology. The researchers used a helium-neon laser and a radially polarized beam to produce a spot measuring just 0.06 square microns. Find out more about this at: optics.org/articles/news/9/11/20/1

3. PRACTICAL REALITIES OF PASSIVE INTEGRATION FOCUS OF NEW WILEY BOOK
A chemical engineer and an electrical engineer have teamed up to author a first-of-its-kind, practical text aimed at helping readers evaluate passive integration as a viable option for particular manufacturing environments. Richard K. Ulrich and Leonard W. Schaper's "Integrated Passive Component Technology" from Wiley-IEEE Press discusses tradeoffs between discrete and integrated approaches to circuitry. An introduction and 13 chapters take readers through materials, processes, size and configuration issues, potential defects and performance issues, and specific applications. Find out more about this title, or purchase it at: www.wiley.com/remtitleinternational.cgi?isbn=0471244317
***IEEE members: Receive a 15% discount on any Wiley-IEEE Press titles. Use code 18493 at checkout***

4. JOB-SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND FOR IEEE MEMBERS
IEEE membership offers numerous opportunities and programs to help engineers looking for their next jobs make important connections. An article in this month's issue of The Institute offers a summary of the programs available, while also providing tips to help job-seekers. IEEE members can use the IEEE Job Site, network with peers and industry representatives at IEEE Section and Chapter meetings, and take advantage of IEEE's free or reduced-cost programs to add to technical and professional knowledge. To learn more about these and other IEEE opportunities, visit: www.theinstitute.ieee.org/portal/index.jsp?pageID=institute_level1_article&TheCat=1010&article=tionline/legacy/inst2003/dec03/12w.prodserv.xml

5. IC DESIGN TOPIC NEXT IEEE ISSC CONFERENCE
"Embedded Systems for a Connected World" is the comprehensive topic for the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, scheduled for 14 to 19 February 2004 in San Francisco, California, USA. Engineers and architects will attend the global forum to learn about technical innovations in circuitry, architecture and algorithms. To register or find out more information about the conference, visit: www.isscc.org/isscc/

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/

6. IEEE JOURNAL EXAMINES INTERFACE RELIABILITY OF MATERIALS
The December issue of IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability (IEEE T-DMR), an online publication freely available to IEEE members, addresses the increasing tendency for critical interfaces to crack, delaminate and cause reliability failure. According to the journal's editors, this topic is particularly relevant as the industry migrates to copper low-k materials with its poor mechanical properties and poor adhesion. IEEE T-DMR focuses on the reliability of electronic, optical, and magnetic devices, and microsystems; the materials and processes used in the manufacture of these devices; and the interfaces and surfaces of these materials. Online subscribers and IEEE members can access this issue and articles accepted for future publication at: www.ieee.org/xploretdmr

For more information about IEEE T-DMR, visit: www.ieee.org/tdmr/

7. NEW IEEE-SA STANDARD GOVERNS INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DESIGN
The IEEE Standards Association Standards Board recently released a new standard establishing consistent library format references for integrated circuit-design applications. IEEE 1603™, titled "A Standard for an Advanced Library Format (ALF) Describing Integrated Circuit (IC) Technology, Cells, and Blocks," designates ALF as the language for library elements. At the same time, the board reaffirmed continued use of three standards for, respectively, microcomputers, environmental specifications for computer systems and metric equipment practice for microcomputers. To read more: standards.ieee.org/announcements/pr_1603app.html

8. DARPA'S GRAND CHALLENGE DRAWS "UNORTHODOX" SUGGESTIONS
It's not the Great Race or even the Cannonball Run, but when the Pentagon's "blue sky" R&D organization invites "trailblazers and pioneers in a wide range of fields" to develop unmanned vehicles to compete in a 300-mile race across the Mojave Desert for a US$1 million prize, things could get interesting. Terry Costlow looks at DARPA's Grand Challenge and how it is changing the government's approach to finding innovative solutions to technological challenges. In the latest edition of IEEE-USA Today's Engineer: www.todaysengineer.org/nov03/darpa.asp

9. CIC CONFERENCE PUBLICATION REFLECTS 2003'S EXPANDED TECHNICAL OFFERINGS
Those who missed the conference or need a refresher on first-hand experience should consider the proceedings of the 25th annual IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC) 2003, now available from the IEEE Online Catalog & Store. This publication reflects the conference's expanded technical program that included 27 papers and sessions on systems architecture, circuit and computer-aided design and process technology. Included are IEEE Spectrum magazine columnist Dr. Robert Lucky's remarks on telecom technology and Sony Corp.'s Dr. Tsugio Makimoto's talk on chip technology in robotics. To purchase, visit: shop.ieee.org/store/product.asp?prodno=CH37448
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10. SIX IEEE MEMBERS AWARDED TOP U.S. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MEDALS
U.S. President George W. Bush presented six IEEE members with the nation's highest scientific honors at a recent White House ceremony. The 2002 National Medal of Technology was awarded to 2003 IEEE Medal of Honor recipient Nick Holonyak, along with M. George Craford of LumiLeds Lighting, Russell Dean Dupuis of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Calvin H. Carter of Cree Inc., for their trailblazing work in LED technology. The 2002 National Medal of Science was awarded to IEEE Fellow Leo L. Beranek for his contributions in the creation of the Internet, and IEEE Life Senior Member Richard L. Garwin for pioneering magnetic resonance technology. To learn more about the recipients, visit:
www.ieeeusa.org/releases/2003/110403pr(1).html
http://www.ieeeusa.org/releases/2003/110403pr(2).html

11. GO RECONFIGURE: IEEE SPECTRUM REPORTS
Today's technophiles want one do-it-all device -- something the size of an iPod that is a PDA, a cell phone, a GPS receiver, an MP3 player, a digital camera, a portable television, a game player, and more. According to a feature in this month's issue of IEEE Spectrum, the programmable logic device (PLD) is the route to this ultimate gadget of the future, the universal digital assistant. The PLD is a semiconductor containing a personalization memory and logic elements. Today's PLDs are not ready to take on the challenge, but according to the article, they can be ready, and soon. Read more: www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature/dec03/1203reco.html

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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: Peggy Gallos

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