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Modern physics brings semiconductor technology to a turning point
42(~
World Abstracts on Microelectronics and Reliability
needs to know the facts about LSI testing and test equipment and how the two contribute to per-unit testing cost. Memory makers brace for bubble battle. W. F. ARNOLD. Electronics p. 75 (February 16, 1978). American and Japanese firms to pour out products this year as competitors for CCDs and floppy disks. Industry standard for B-Series CMOS. D. BLANDFORD. MicroelecWon. Reliab. 16, 449 (1977). During 1976 the major manufacturers of CMOS met as the JEDEC CMOS Standardizing Committee under the cognizance of the JC 40.2 JEDEC Committee of the EIA. The purpose of these meetings was to draw up a standard specification for the static electrical characteristics of B-series CMOS to which all manufacturers would test as a minimum. The advantages of this to the circuit user are considerable--devices from several manufacturers can be tested at incoming inspection using the same test programme and the designer can design to the JEDEC specification in the knowledge that devices from several manufacturers will meet his requirements. The obsolescence of the microprocessor. A. J. AMENDT. Microelectron. Reliab. 16, 323 (1977). During the brief history of the microprocessor a proliferation of design approaches has emerged.
5. M I C R O E L E C T R O N I C S
At the same time appreciation and understanding of the application potential of these components has expanded even more widely, and the complete nature and scope of this field is not clearly visible. A broad view of the usage spectrum will be taken and the speaker will speculate whether the concept of the discrete micro-processor may soon be outdated, and whether a definitive assessment of the thing will ever be feasible. In the light of these considerations future development trends will be discussed.
Modern physics brings semiconductor technology to a turning point. M. LASSUS and J-P. FOUNAUD. Microelectron, Reliab. 16, 367 (1977). Semiconductor Processing has always been dominated by standard chemical processes. With the event of techniques such as Plasmas, Electron and Ion Beams, Lasers etc .... which have been extensively studied in the Laboratory, physical techniques are replacing standard chemistry in several important areas of the Semiconductor Technology. This paper will concentrate on the areas in which physical processes are already, or are likely to become important. Costs, improved Semiconductor performances and environment control regulations are the main factors behind this evolution.
DESIGN
Morphology and electrical parameters of MOS microelectronics circuits. DR ZDENEK MACK. T E S L A Electronics 4/'77, p. 99. In the design of MOS microelectronic circuits the layout (morphology) of functional blocks, of which the circuit is made up, plays an important role. The paper deals with a new principle of inverter and gate layout description based on electrical parameters of these blocks. This new approach facilitates the setting up of macromodels of the inverters and gates. Mospower--the challenge to power bipolars. J. O. M. JENVdNS. Microelectron. Reliab. 16, 607 (1977). A new VMOS technology has been developed which is likely to open up new fields in high speed high current switching as well as audio and R.F. communications. The inherent differences between VMOS and standard MOS technologies are discussed and the electrical qualities of VMOS compared with those of power bipolars. Applications foreseen for these devices are numerous and some of the most obvious are discussed. With the advantages it has to offer, it will undoubtedly become a serious contender to power bipolar technology. Une methode de conception rapide et fiable des circuits integres avec controle automatique de I'implantation. J-C. BERTAILS and J. ZIRPHILE. Revue Technique Thomson-CSF 9, (4) 717 (December 1977). (In French.) The author describes an integrated circuit design method based on the use of standardized geometrical elements, represented symbolically. In conjunction with a network exploration and verification program, this method proves a rapid and reliable working tool particularly wellsuited to the design of customer integrated circuits (CIC) and whose efficiency is demonstrated by practical results. What to look for in analog input/output boards. N. BERNSTEIN. Electronics p. 113 (January 19, 1978). Analog input/ output boards are riding high on the success of singleboard computers. As a convenient and relatively inexpensive way of interfacing these machines to the real world, they are becoming steadily more and more popular with
AND
CONSTRUCTION
designers who must incorporate analog data functions into all sorts of instruments and control systems. By now there is quite a variety of analog boards from which to choose a partner for a wide range of board-level microcomputers. Running in price from less than $200 to over S1,500, these subsystems come in input or output versions or even as combination 1/o boards. Options abound, and architecture may differ greatly between the boards made by various manufacturers for the same microcomputer. So selecting the right board for a given application means the designer must understand the differences between the architecture and the advantages of the various options. An analysis of diffusion process control. P. S. GWOZDZ. Solid St. Technol. p. 71 (November 1977). A simple model for diffusion is mathematically reviewed. Time and temperature effects on sheet resistivity are considered. Simple equations are derived which can be used for practical diffusion process control. Chip carriers are making inroads. JERRY LYMAN. Electronics p. 86. (November 24, 1977). New technique in which leadless ceramic devices are mounted on ceramic mother boards, means less weight than DIPs or hybrids. Corona discharge--electrostatic method for deposition of powdered passivation glass on semiconductor devices. ROBERT B. COMIZZOLI. IEEE Trans. Parts, Hybrids, Packa,qin9 PHP-13, (3) 322 (Sept. 1977). Selective deposition of powdered passivating glass on either insulating or conducting regions of a device wafer can be accomplished by first depositing ions from a corona discharge on the insulating regions of the device wafer and then immersing the wafer in an insulating liquid containing a charged suspension of the powdered glass. The method is fast (about 15 s per wafer) and both sides can be coated simultaneously. Advantages compared to other methods are listed. The wafer charging process and the glass deposition process are discussed in terms of the relevant process parameters. Thus far, lhe main application has been deposi-
World Abstracts on Microelectronics and Reliability
needs to know the facts about LSI testing and test equipment and how the two contribute to per-unit testing cost. Memory makers brace for bubble battle. W. F. ARNOLD. Electronics p. 75 (February 16, 1978). American and Japanese firms to pour out products this year as competitors for CCDs and floppy disks. Industry standard for B-Series CMOS. D. BLANDFORD. MicroelecWon. Reliab. 16, 449 (1977). During 1976 the major manufacturers of CMOS met as the JEDEC CMOS Standardizing Committee under the cognizance of the JC 40.2 JEDEC Committee of the EIA. The purpose of these meetings was to draw up a standard specification for the static electrical characteristics of B-series CMOS to which all manufacturers would test as a minimum. The advantages of this to the circuit user are considerable--devices from several manufacturers can be tested at incoming inspection using the same test programme and the designer can design to the JEDEC specification in the knowledge that devices from several manufacturers will meet his requirements. The obsolescence of the microprocessor. A. J. AMENDT. Microelectron. Reliab. 16, 323 (1977). During the brief history of the microprocessor a proliferation of design approaches has emerged.
5. M I C R O E L E C T R O N I C S
At the same time appreciation and understanding of the application potential of these components has expanded even more widely, and the complete nature and scope of this field is not clearly visible. A broad view of the usage spectrum will be taken and the speaker will speculate whether the concept of the discrete micro-processor may soon be outdated, and whether a definitive assessment of the thing will ever be feasible. In the light of these considerations future development trends will be discussed.
Modern physics brings semiconductor technology to a turning point. M. LASSUS and J-P. FOUNAUD. Microelectron, Reliab. 16, 367 (1977). Semiconductor Processing has always been dominated by standard chemical processes. With the event of techniques such as Plasmas, Electron and Ion Beams, Lasers etc .... which have been extensively studied in the Laboratory, physical techniques are replacing standard chemistry in several important areas of the Semiconductor Technology. This paper will concentrate on the areas in which physical processes are already, or are likely to become important. Costs, improved Semiconductor performances and environment control regulations are the main factors behind this evolution.
DESIGN
Morphology and electrical parameters of MOS microelectronics circuits. DR ZDENEK MACK. T E S L A Electronics 4/'77, p. 99. In the design of MOS microelectronic circuits the layout (morphology) of functional blocks, of which the circuit is made up, plays an important role. The paper deals with a new principle of inverter and gate layout description based on electrical parameters of these blocks. This new approach facilitates the setting up of macromodels of the inverters and gates. Mospower--the challenge to power bipolars. J. O. M. JENVdNS. Microelectron. Reliab. 16, 607 (1977). A new VMOS technology has been developed which is likely to open up new fields in high speed high current switching as well as audio and R.F. communications. The inherent differences between VMOS and standard MOS technologies are discussed and the electrical qualities of VMOS compared with those of power bipolars. Applications foreseen for these devices are numerous and some of the most obvious are discussed. With the advantages it has to offer, it will undoubtedly become a serious contender to power bipolar technology. Une methode de conception rapide et fiable des circuits integres avec controle automatique de I'implantation. J-C. BERTAILS and J. ZIRPHILE. Revue Technique Thomson-CSF 9, (4) 717 (December 1977). (In French.) The author describes an integrated circuit design method based on the use of standardized geometrical elements, represented symbolically. In conjunction with a network exploration and verification program, this method proves a rapid and reliable working tool particularly wellsuited to the design of customer integrated circuits (CIC) and whose efficiency is demonstrated by practical results. What to look for in analog input/output boards. N. BERNSTEIN. Electronics p. 113 (January 19, 1978). Analog input/ output boards are riding high on the success of singleboard computers. As a convenient and relatively inexpensive way of interfacing these machines to the real world, they are becoming steadily more and more popular with
AND
CONSTRUCTION
designers who must incorporate analog data functions into all sorts of instruments and control systems. By now there is quite a variety of analog boards from which to choose a partner for a wide range of board-level microcomputers. Running in price from less than $200 to over S1,500, these subsystems come in input or output versions or even as combination 1/o boards. Options abound, and architecture may differ greatly between the boards made by various manufacturers for the same microcomputer. So selecting the right board for a given application means the designer must understand the differences between the architecture and the advantages of the various options. An analysis of diffusion process control. P. S. GWOZDZ. Solid St. Technol. p. 71 (November 1977). A simple model for diffusion is mathematically reviewed. Time and temperature effects on sheet resistivity are considered. Simple equations are derived which can be used for practical diffusion process control. Chip carriers are making inroads. JERRY LYMAN. Electronics p. 86. (November 24, 1977). New technique in which leadless ceramic devices are mounted on ceramic mother boards, means less weight than DIPs or hybrids. Corona discharge--electrostatic method for deposition of powdered passivation glass on semiconductor devices. ROBERT B. COMIZZOLI. IEEE Trans. Parts, Hybrids, Packa,qin9 PHP-13, (3) 322 (Sept. 1977). Selective deposition of powdered passivating glass on either insulating or conducting regions of a device wafer can be accomplished by first depositing ions from a corona discharge on the insulating regions of the device wafer and then immersing the wafer in an insulating liquid containing a charged suspension of the powdered glass. The method is fast (about 15 s per wafer) and both sides can be coated simultaneously. Advantages compared to other methods are listed. The wafer charging process and the glass deposition process are discussed in terms of the relevant process parameters. Thus far, lhe main application has been deposi-