What's New @ IEEE in Circuits

VOLUME 5 NUMBER 12 DECEMBER 2004

CONTENTS:
1. Can Nanolithography Sustain Moore's Law?
2. Holonyak Predicts Laser-Emitting Transistors as Next Chip Wave
3. IEEE Starts Memory Channel Standard to Aid Access to Memory Systems
4. Online IEEE Journal Tackles Non-Volatile Memory Reliability
5. Next-Generation Electronics Build on New "Cell" Technology
6. 2004 Interconnect Technology Conference Proceedings Now Available
7. Breakthrough Graphene Nanofabric Could Speed Computer Circuits
8. Volunteer: Take Your IEEE Membership to the Next Level
9. Chip Makers May Have to Trade Speed for Cooler Performance
10. Through A Lens Sharply: IEEE Spectrum Reports
11. 3-D Chip Stacks Up Better than Conventional SoC
12. New Wiley-IEEE Press Title Redefines Circuit Design for CMOS

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1. CAN NANOLITHOGRAPHY SUSTAIN MOORE'S LAW?
Improvement to lithography -- the most expensive step in the chip-making process -- will drive the sustained growth predicted by Moore's Law, according a recent report by market researchers Lux Research, Inc. The report also predicts that the mass implementation of 198nm liquid emersion lithography will emerge by 2007, but that this technique will reach its full performance potential by 2011. Nanoimprint lithography, says the research group, will then emerge in popularity and improve the feasibility of miniaturized circuits. For more information, visit: www.reed-electronics.com/electronicnews/article/CA480626?

2. HOLONYAK PREDICTS LASER-EMITTING TRANSISTORS AS NEXT CHIP WAVE
Laser-emitting transistors could be tomorrow's high-speed computer chips, according to researchers at the University of Illinois. Professors Milton Feng and Nick Holonyak say their laser transistor emits "coherent," controllable light that could guide signaling in fiber-optics communications or aid signaling between tiny components of integrated circuits. In today's two-port transistors, a charge goes in and an electrical signal goes out. But the laser transistor has three ports -- the charge goes in, and both light and electricity are emitted. That is the key to its potential for faster performance. Read more: www.news-gazette.com/story.cfm?Number=17115

3. IEEE STARTS MEMORY CHANNEL STANDARD TO AID ACCESS TO MEMORY SYSTEMS
A developing standard, IEEE P1896™, "Memory Channel Standard," promises to provide secure and transparent access to memory systems. The standard will support a wide range of memory sizes and remove geographic constraints, be independent of link technology, and include methods for data redundancy and coherency. The IEEE P1896 working group consists of companies and other external organizations and is supported by the IEEE Computer Society Microprocessor Standards Group and IEEE Standards Association Corporate Advisory Group. For more information, visit: standards.ieee.org/announcements/pr_p1896.html

4. ONLINE IEEE JOURNAL TACKLES NON-VOLATILE MEMORY RELIABILITY
The next issue of IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability, an online journal available to all IEEE members through IEEE Xplore, looks at the state of the art in the field of non-volatile memories. The issue reports on recent achievements and on future challenges of Flash memory, which is the fastest growing IC market segment. The articles accepted for this issue are already online in IEEE Xplore under the heading "Accepted for Future Publication." IEEE members can access this and all previous issues of this journal online using their Web Account at: www.ieee.org/xploretdmr

IEEE Members: don't have a Web Account yet? Register at: www.ieee.org/web/accounts

5. NEXT-GENERATION ELECTRONICS BUILD ON NEW "CELL" TECHNOLOGY
A new microprocessor codenamed "Cell" promises to facilitate enhanced computer animation, computer graphics and other multimedia applications, say researchers at Sony, IBM and Toshiba. Multiple cores, chips as small as 90 nanometers and power-saving techniques are but a few of the planned features of the Cell, which will be unveiled at the 2005 IEEE International Solid-States Circuits Conference. The device will have applications in next-generation consumer electronics and computing devices. For more information, visit: www.betanews.com/article/Industry_Trio_Details_Cell_Chip/1101769987

This groundbreaking microprocessor will be unveiled at the 2005 IEEE ISSCC in February. Register to attend this event at: www.isscc.org/isscc/

6. 2004 INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS NOW AVAILABLE
Original, previously-unpublished technical papers presented at the seventh annual 2004 IEEE International Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC) are now collected in the IITC proceedings, available through ShopIEEE. Sponsored by the IEEE Electron Devices Society, IITC provided a venue for the semiconductor industry and academics to assess advances in the design and fabrication of monolithic ICs, multichip modules (MCMs) and other interconnect-related technologies. Learn more, or purchase the proceedings, at: shop.ieee.org/store/product.asp?prodno= TH8729
***IEEE members save up to 60% off the list price for conference proceedings titles***

The proceedings are also available to subscribers through IEEE Xplore: ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isNumber=29623

Don't miss the 2005 IEEE IITC, featuring exhibits, seminars and poster sessions. Visit: www.his.com/~iitc/

7. BREAKTHROUGH GRAPHENE NANOFABRIC COULD SPEED COMPUTER CIRCUITS
Ultra-fast switching transistors are now more viable thanks to a newly discovered phenomenon: electrons do not scatter over submicron distances on a two-dimensional layer of graphene. Researchers at the University of Manchester are currently developing inch-sized wafers of this material to create graphene nanotubes for faster computer circuits. Learn more about this research, as well as its potential impact on the semiconductor industry, at: www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=28525

8. VOLUNTEER: TAKE YOUR IEEE MEMBERSHIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Networking is a key benefit of IEEE membership. Becoming an IEEE Volunteer provides the opportunity to network and develop leadership and organizational skills. Positions range from the Membership Coordinator for the local section to the IEEE President, with numerous committees and opportunities in between. For a list of volunteer resources, visit: www.ieee.org/organizations/vols/

9. CHIP MAKERS MAY HAVE TO TRADE SPEED FOR COOLER PERFORMANCE
Will the problem of heat generation finally dampen the quest for speed in microchip production? To address the challenge, manufacturers such as AMD and Intel are relying on an array of new approaches. These include silicon-on-insulator (SOI), high-k dielectrics and strained silicon. The idea is to engineer new, fast-chip devices while stemming the leakage of current from tiny transistors and finding ways of cooling the devices they operate. Read more: www.vnunet.com/features/1159509

10. THROUGH A LENS SHARPLY: IEEE SPECTRUM REPORTS
The images that come out of camera phones leave plenty to be desired. But a new type of lens could change that. Modeled on the human eye, the liquid lens varies its focus by changing shape rather than by changing the relative position of multiple lenses, as high-quality camera lenses do. It can be made nearly as small as a fixed-focus lens, which uses a small aperture and short focal length to keep most things in focus, but at the sacrifice of light-gathering power and therefore picture quality. At the same time, it can deliver picture sharpness that is easily on a par with that of a variable-focus lens. In fact, the optical quality of a liquid lens combined with a megapixel imaging chip could soon give cellphone snapshots quality that rivals images from conventional -- and much bulkier -- digital cameras. Read more: www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature/dec04/1204foc.html

11. NEW 3-D CHIP STACKS UP BETTER THAN CONVENTIONAL SOC
Compared to a conventional device with equivalent performance, a new 3-D large-scale integration (LSI) chip consumes one-fourth less power, say researchers at Zycube Co. Ltd. The 3-D chip requires less internal wiring and reduces propagation delays of complex SoC. Zycube has verified a 3-D prototype that stacks 10 LSIs that are 20 microns thick, but expects to market a two-stack device in sensors by 2007. For more information, visit: www.eet.com/semi/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=54200584

12. NEW WILEY-IEEE PRESS TITLE REDEFINES CIRCUIT DESIGN FOR CMOS
Hailed as "the de facto standard textbook to have on every analog and mixed-signal designer's bookshelf," the second edition of "CMOS: Circuit Design, Layout, and Simulation" presents a comprehensive overview of design applications, including LASI layout for Windows, VLSI Design with MOSIS, SPICE netlists and MOSFET models. Written by Professor R. Jacob Baker and published by the Wiley-IEEE Press, the second edition develops a two-pronged approach to IC design: the textbook examines long-channel CMOS independently from short-channel CMOS before developing a multidimensional discussion of the circuit design process.To learn more, or purchase this title, visit: www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-047170055X.html ***IEEE members: Receive a 15% discount on any Wiley-IEEE Press titles. Use code 18493 at checkout***

The second edition of "CMOS: Circuit Design, Layout, and Simulation" is accompanied by a key companion website. For more information, visit: cmosedu.com/cmos1/book.htm

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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