Zurich Chapter Hosts ESD Protection Circuitry Lecture
Markus Helfenstein , Philips Semiconductor, markus.helfenstein@philips.com
The IEEE SSCS Zurich Chapter and Philips Semiconductors, Zurich jointly organized a lecture on the design of ESD protection circuitry. The IEEE distinguished lecture entitled "Mixed-Mode ESD Protection Circuitry Design for RF/M-S ICs: Prediction and Characterization" was given by Prof. A. Wang, Faculty of ECE, Illinois Institute of Technology, USA.
About 100 people from both industry and academia attended this seminar, which was held on the Philips premises. In this lecture, Prof. Wang discussed a CAD-based mixed-mode ESD simulation-design methodology that enables ESD protection design prediction for mixed-signal/RF applications. Critical characterization techniques for mixed-signal/RF ESD protection design were presented as well as practical ESD protection circuit design examples. This seminar received many positive comments.
Prof. Albert Wang (right) and Dr. Markus Helfenstein (organizer, Philips Semiconductors Zurich) exploring the old town of Zurich.
Students at Novosibirsk University Expand Chapter Projects
Members of the Novosibirsk State Technical University Student Chapter donated technical support to the 6th Annual International Siberian Workshop and Tutorial on Electron Devices and Materials (EDM 2005), which took place in July at the University, and prepared its Proceedings in hardcover and on CD. The group similarly contributed technical expertise to the 5th International Microwave Electronics: Measurements, Identification, Application Conference (MEMIA 2005), in collaboration with its dynamic parent organization, the IEEE Novosibirsk Joint ED/MTT/CPMT/COM/SSC Chapter. Together, they are establishing a website to make the papers presented at EDM 2005 available to the public. (http://www.nstu.ru/edm)
With the aid of SSCS subsidies for 2005, the Chapter established a Student Branch Library and CADFEM Laboratory, and renovated the Student Branch Web site. It is now being reconstructed and will be restored in September.
In 2006-2007, the Chapter looks forward to establishing new CAD Laboratories, launching a Student Paper Award, recruiting new members, and forming other Student chapters in the Siberia region under the direction of a newly elected Executive Committee. The group's long-range goals are to expand local student activity in SSCS/EDS content areas by means of the facilities it has already set up, and through presentations, seminars, social events, exhibitions, interviews and periodicals.
Nataliya V. Hainovskaya, IEEE/EDS Student Chair; Artem E. Nastovijak, IEEE Student Branch Secretary/Treasurer; Alexander V. Gridchin, IEEE Student Branch Counselor; Victor A. Gridchin, IEEE SSCS Student Branch Chapter Advisor, Dr. Sc., Prof., Head of Dept. of Semiconductor Devices and Microelectronics of Novosibirsk State Technical University.
Denver Chapter Broadcasts Seminars Using WebEx and Audio-Conferencing
During the past four months, the SSCS Denver Chapter, based in Fort Collins, hosted four technical meetings, including three Distinguished Lecture seminars, and a BBQ social.
"We continue to promote technology-related topics in hopes of educating the local design community about the ever-growing importance and complexity of technology and reliability considerations in deep submicron CMOS design," said Chapter Chair Alvin Loke. "In an attempt to reach interested out-of-town participants, we started making seminars available via WebEx and audio-conferencing. In our pilot attempt, folks signed in from Houston, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, and even Singapore!"
"We look forward to growing participation in upcoming seminars," Dr. Loke said. "Please visit ewh.ieee.org/r5/denver/sscs/ for more information about our chapter events."
In April, Jeff Rearick of Agilent Technologies presented a tutorial on "Analog Adventures in Digital Chip Testing." It focused on analog issues and considerations in high-speed digital production testing, and also touched on incorporating embedded test capability as an emerging SoC trend.
During July and August, Denver had the honor of hosting three Distinguished Lecturers:
First, Prof. Jan Van der Spiegel, SSCS Chapters Committee Chair, who visited from the University of Pennsylvania, delivered a fascinating seminar on "Biologically Inspired Smart CMOS Vision Sensors." This seminar was jointly held with the Chapter's Centennial Section in order to grow awareness of chapter activities beyond SSCS membership.
July Denver Chapter meeting with officers from the Centennial Subsection of the Denver Section. The Centennial Subsection encompasses Fort Collins one hour north of Denver.
L to R: Bob Barnes (Treasurer), Tin Tin Wee (Secretary/Webmaster), Alvin Loke (Chair), Prof. Jan van der Spiegel (SSCS Chapters Committee Chair), Pete O'Neill (Centennial Program Director), Ron Peiffer (Centennial Treasurer), Osvaldo Buccafusca (Centennial Vice Chair)
Then the Chapter was privileged to have Prof. Jack Lee, from the University of Texas at Austin, deliver an informative talk on "High-K Gate Dielectrics," a key development for 45nm high-performance CMOS. Finally, Prof. Dieter Schroder, from Arizona State University visited Fort Collins to speak on"Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI)." He highlighted circuit implications and workarounds, and elucidated the physical origins of NBTI.
Baltimore Joint Chapter Featured Three Guest Speakers in 2004-2005
James Oliver, Chapter Chair, james_oliver@ieee.org
The SSCS/Electron Devices Baltimore joint chapter held three technical meetings featuring outside speakers during its 2004-2005 season.
The first two presentations on electron devices comprised papers entitled "Microsystems Enabling System Innovation," by John Zolper of DARPA, and "GaN-based Field Effect Transistors," by Electron Devices Society Distinguished Lecturer Prof. Michael S. Shur of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
A third paper, addressing solid-state circuits interests, was "An Overview of MOSFET Device Behavior and Modeling for Mixed-signal/RF IC Design," by Electron Devices Society Distinguished Lecturer Dr. Yuhua Cheng of Siliconlinux, Inc.
Meetings of the SSCS/ED Baltimore joint chapter are held at the Historical Electronics Museum in Linthicum, MD. They are open to the public without cost, and provide IEEE brochures and enrollment information to non-members. To publicize its activities, the Baltimore Chapter maintains its own website, which can be accessed directly at ewh.ieee.org/r2/baltimore/edssc/index.html, or indirectly via the "Chapters-Technical" hyperlink of the Baltimore section site.
