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An elementary guide to reliability
Microelectronics and Reliability,
Vol.14, pp. 351 to 352.PergamonPress,1975.Printedin GreatBritain
BOOK REVIEWS APPLICATION OF ENGINEERING IN MICROELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES by C. E. JOWETT. Business Books Limited. 1975. £6.50.
AN ELEMENTARY GUIDE TO RELIABILITY by G. W. A. DUMMERand R. C. WINTON, Pergamon Press. 2nd Edition. £1.00.
The current climate in engineering brought about by the technological revolution is such that the profitable, timely production of goods is lagging significantly behind the design of new sophisticated products. Because of this, the field of electronic engineering technology is receiving ever increasing attention from top management. The production engineering manager must be one of the key engineers with a broad knowledge of processes, materials and data management as well as the latest design techniques. Engineering technology, then, can be simply described as the science of converting a working prototype into the most profitable and reliable product in the shortest period of time. To be successful in the field of manufacturing technology, mastery and continuous development of such areas as manufacturing equipment, data collection, data handling, data analysis, automation, process control, testing, inspection, assembly techniques, numerical control, computer usage and procurement specifications are essential. This book deals with fundamental problems in electronic engineering--large expenditure, attention to research and development and production processes for which good directives are at a premium. It is generally true these days that schedules are tight and both manpower and funding limited. Throughout the book, help is given in the decisionmaking by engineering management during the life cycle of a product. G. W. A. D.
With nine chapters covered in 50-odd pages this slim volume introduces the subject of Reliability in a generally clear and concise manner, using terms which can be understood easily by the novice but which, nevertheless, will be found acceptable by the more experienced engineer. A few cartoons in chapter one add visual impact to the importance of the subject. Definitions are given for many of the terms used, and examples aid the understanding of others, although the flow diagram from BS 4200 showing a general relationship between terms could do with more explanation in both publications. The chapters dealing with statistics and reliability calculations are perhaps over simplified and not very logical, but the relevant aspects are covered and would be easily understood by readers having modern basic mathematical knowledge. The book shows clearly how equipment MTBF's may be calculated using the component predictions and although an example makes use of a table of quite unrealistic component failure rates, other paragraphs give reasonable figures for commercial grade components and devices, including SIC's and various film circuits. In any subsequent edition it would be useful to mention the BS9000 series specifications, and also to elaborate the section on redundancy to include practical duplication and replication arrangements with relevant calculations, at least in simple form. On the premise that a machine is only as reliable as the humans that operate and maintain it, the book includes a relatively long and thought-provoking chapter on ergonomics and man-machine communication. Many aspects are covered and although general principles are established I would like to have seen a specific reference to computerised control with the now ubiquitous teletype machine and the potential for rapid rejection of invalid commands. Other chapters cover the importance of test equipment; the effects of operating conditions and environment; and the usefulness of feedback on equipment performance. A final chapter on economics highlights the relationship between reliability and the development, capital and maintenance costs. The Elementary Guide to Reliability provides a sensible introduction to all the basic facets of this important subject and appropriate references indicate sources of further information. The book is likely to help teachers and students working on the reliability sections of CGLI Courses in the 271 series, or equivalent; and would be worthwhile background material for anyone having an interest in the reliability of the equipment they develop or in the "downtime" of equipment they operate. A.G.O.
SEMICONDUCTOR HETEROJUNCTIONS by B. L. SHARMAand R. K. PUROHIT.224 pp. Published by Pergamon Press. $17.50 (£7.00). With the advent of epitaxial techniques heterojunction devices became a practical reality and the subject could be said to have begun in 1960. The subject was researched avidly in the sixties and to date there are many hundred relevant research publications. There are many areas of specialised applications for heterojunction devices and these are dealt with in this book. The most important applications at the present time are the solid state laser capable of continuous operation at room temperature and in the achievement of cold cathode sources by producing negative electron affinity surfaces. This book gives the development of the subject to date covering the salient theoretical points. Virtually every heterojunction ever made is referenced in this book and the text is a mine of useful data covering such things as etchants, ohmic contact data, electron affinities, band gaps, expansion coefficients, lattice coefficients and bond densities of most group IV, III-V, II-VI and IV-VI semiconductors. Many pairs of semiconductors are tabulated showing the lattice mismatch and predicted density of interface states. This book is a useful reference text for any research worker in the field of heterojunctions and for any postgraduate studying the subject. Many of the references and relevant data are presented in tabular form and good cross referencing enables the reader to obtain the required information quickly and easily. M. J. HAMPSHIRE Senior Lecturer Department of Electrical Engineering University of Salford.
CRYSTAL GROWTH. Edited by B. R. PAMPLIN.Pergamon Press. 1975. £18.00 ($45). Much crystal growth is still an art and a technique rather than a science, although a great deal of experience over the last decade has now been built up. This book, consisting of contributions by eighteen experts in their fields, reviews the present position in crystal growth. The increasing use of crystals for electronics has made the introduction of this book a useful contribution. Modern solid state electronics is based on the commercial scale growth of large dislocation-free crystals of silicon and gallium arsenide, in addition to the production of rods of
351
Vol.14, pp. 351 to 352.PergamonPress,1975.Printedin GreatBritain
BOOK REVIEWS APPLICATION OF ENGINEERING IN MICROELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES by C. E. JOWETT. Business Books Limited. 1975. £6.50.
AN ELEMENTARY GUIDE TO RELIABILITY by G. W. A. DUMMERand R. C. WINTON, Pergamon Press. 2nd Edition. £1.00.
The current climate in engineering brought about by the technological revolution is such that the profitable, timely production of goods is lagging significantly behind the design of new sophisticated products. Because of this, the field of electronic engineering technology is receiving ever increasing attention from top management. The production engineering manager must be one of the key engineers with a broad knowledge of processes, materials and data management as well as the latest design techniques. Engineering technology, then, can be simply described as the science of converting a working prototype into the most profitable and reliable product in the shortest period of time. To be successful in the field of manufacturing technology, mastery and continuous development of such areas as manufacturing equipment, data collection, data handling, data analysis, automation, process control, testing, inspection, assembly techniques, numerical control, computer usage and procurement specifications are essential. This book deals with fundamental problems in electronic engineering--large expenditure, attention to research and development and production processes for which good directives are at a premium. It is generally true these days that schedules are tight and both manpower and funding limited. Throughout the book, help is given in the decisionmaking by engineering management during the life cycle of a product. G. W. A. D.
With nine chapters covered in 50-odd pages this slim volume introduces the subject of Reliability in a generally clear and concise manner, using terms which can be understood easily by the novice but which, nevertheless, will be found acceptable by the more experienced engineer. A few cartoons in chapter one add visual impact to the importance of the subject. Definitions are given for many of the terms used, and examples aid the understanding of others, although the flow diagram from BS 4200 showing a general relationship between terms could do with more explanation in both publications. The chapters dealing with statistics and reliability calculations are perhaps over simplified and not very logical, but the relevant aspects are covered and would be easily understood by readers having modern basic mathematical knowledge. The book shows clearly how equipment MTBF's may be calculated using the component predictions and although an example makes use of a table of quite unrealistic component failure rates, other paragraphs give reasonable figures for commercial grade components and devices, including SIC's and various film circuits. In any subsequent edition it would be useful to mention the BS9000 series specifications, and also to elaborate the section on redundancy to include practical duplication and replication arrangements with relevant calculations, at least in simple form. On the premise that a machine is only as reliable as the humans that operate and maintain it, the book includes a relatively long and thought-provoking chapter on ergonomics and man-machine communication. Many aspects are covered and although general principles are established I would like to have seen a specific reference to computerised control with the now ubiquitous teletype machine and the potential for rapid rejection of invalid commands. Other chapters cover the importance of test equipment; the effects of operating conditions and environment; and the usefulness of feedback on equipment performance. A final chapter on economics highlights the relationship between reliability and the development, capital and maintenance costs. The Elementary Guide to Reliability provides a sensible introduction to all the basic facets of this important subject and appropriate references indicate sources of further information. The book is likely to help teachers and students working on the reliability sections of CGLI Courses in the 271 series, or equivalent; and would be worthwhile background material for anyone having an interest in the reliability of the equipment they develop or in the "downtime" of equipment they operate. A.G.O.
SEMICONDUCTOR HETEROJUNCTIONS by B. L. SHARMAand R. K. PUROHIT.224 pp. Published by Pergamon Press. $17.50 (£7.00). With the advent of epitaxial techniques heterojunction devices became a practical reality and the subject could be said to have begun in 1960. The subject was researched avidly in the sixties and to date there are many hundred relevant research publications. There are many areas of specialised applications for heterojunction devices and these are dealt with in this book. The most important applications at the present time are the solid state laser capable of continuous operation at room temperature and in the achievement of cold cathode sources by producing negative electron affinity surfaces. This book gives the development of the subject to date covering the salient theoretical points. Virtually every heterojunction ever made is referenced in this book and the text is a mine of useful data covering such things as etchants, ohmic contact data, electron affinities, band gaps, expansion coefficients, lattice coefficients and bond densities of most group IV, III-V, II-VI and IV-VI semiconductors. Many pairs of semiconductors are tabulated showing the lattice mismatch and predicted density of interface states. This book is a useful reference text for any research worker in the field of heterojunctions and for any postgraduate studying the subject. Many of the references and relevant data are presented in tabular form and good cross referencing enables the reader to obtain the required information quickly and easily. M. J. HAMPSHIRE Senior Lecturer Department of Electrical Engineering University of Salford.
CRYSTAL GROWTH. Edited by B. R. PAMPLIN.Pergamon Press. 1975. £18.00 ($45). Much crystal growth is still an art and a technique rather than a science, although a great deal of experience over the last decade has now been built up. This book, consisting of contributions by eighteen experts in their fields, reviews the present position in crystal growth. The increasing use of crystals for electronics has made the introduction of this book a useful contribution. Modern solid state electronics is based on the commercial scale growth of large dislocation-free crystals of silicon and gallium arsenide, in addition to the production of rods of
351