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We are proud to bring to you an issue focused on a pertinent topic-new mobility. The term new mobility was coined to represent four pivotal technologies that will change how we move not only ourselves but also our cargo: connected cars, autonomy, shared mobility, and electrification. The acronyms CASE or ACES are often used to convey these traits that new mobility entails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hot carrier and ionizing radiation responses of 45-nm SOI RF nMOSFETs are investigated. Devices with “tight” source/drain (S/D) contact spacing have improved RF performance but degraded hot carrier reliability and radiation tolerance. Devices with “loose” gate finger-to-gate finger spacing have improved RF performance and also improved hot carrier and radiation tolerance. The effects of finger width on the hot carrier stress and ionizing radiation degradation of strained silicon-on-insulator RF MOSFETs are also investigated. Enhanced degradation is observed for devices with wide finger widths and is attributed to the greater channel-region mechanical stress induced impact ionization. This result is contrary to the previous studies which showed that narrow channel width devices should exhibit greater damage. Taken together, these results have serious consequences for RF circuits that require large widths for sufficient RF gain. Finally, devices with symmetric halo doping are observed to exhibit greater total-dose degradation than devices with asymmetric halo doping. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We have examined the reliability risks of complementary SiGe HBTs on thick-film silicon on insulator (SOI). DC stress techniques, such as reverse emitter–base (EB) stress, mixed-mode stress, and flyback measurements, were used to characterize the safe operating area of n-p-n and p-n-p SiGe HBTs fabricated on SOI substrates. The measurements were analyzed based on fundamental damage mechanisms, such as hot carriers generated at the EB and collector–base junctions during large reverse voltage, and thermal runaway as a result of high current phenomena. RF stress (using a large amplitude continuous-wave signal) was also performed to examine the reliability of complementary bipolar complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor devices and circuits in an RF context. In both cases, p-n-p SiGe HBTs were found to be more reliable than n-p-n SiGe HBTs, a fact that may offer opportunities for circuit design optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

So, the fateful day is here. Your inbox is crammed with e-mails reminding you that you must absolutely not miss the engineering career fair in the student center. Mailing lists you are signed up for are reminding you to check out "Innovation Days" and "Hackathons" sponsored by companies visiting campus for recruiting. Doing all this in the middle of an already overscheduled day when you'd rather be going to class to learn, finishing lab reports, or just being out throwing a ball around, is a rather unappealing option. Do not despair! Having toiled on both sides-from selling myself to employers, to selling my employers on prospective candidates-I proffer a few suggestions that will make this season's career fair, as well as any on-the-spot or next-day interviews, much less stressful and allow you to get the most out of them! [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We investigate, for the first time, the feasibility of operating silicon–germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) in a weakly saturated bias regime to enable ultralow-voltage RF front-end design. Measured dc, ac, and RF characteristics of third-generation high-performance SiGe HBTs operating in weak saturation are presented. Robust RF operation of \0.12 \times \6.0\ \mu\m^2 SiGe HBTs are demonstrated in a common–emitter configuration at collector-to-emitter voltages above 0.15 V. A noise figure of 1.33 dB and an input third-order intercept point above -8 dBm for a 3-GHz input tone are achieved at 0.30 V. These results have potential implications for RF circuits used in severely power-constrained systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This issue marks the 30th anniversary of IEEE Potentials. As I read the first-ever issue, which came out in the winter of 1982, I am struck by the relevance of some electrical engineering (EE)-related issues that were being discussed back then (e.g., the “work versus grad school” debate). Other issues pertinent to EE today didn't even exist in 1982; the first-ever personal computer shipped a few months after the first issue was published. We know how good the past 30 years have been to EE. How about the next 30? On the eve of IEEE Potentials' 30th anniversary, I talked to mavens in industry and academia to gather their insights about what EE would look like 30 years from today. I arrived at a sobering conclusion—the future of EE is not at all controlled by electrical engineers. Let that sink in before you proceed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summer is upon us; senior-year students have graduated. Prized belongings were passed on to those still trying to claw their way out of school. Seizing this opportunity, I think it would be apt to peddle some of my own nuggets of “wisdom” to the readers of IEEE Potentials to make their academic and professional lives a little more rewarding. Why should you listen to me? Well, because I'm the guy who learned the hard way that getting something to “work” is only 20% of the battle won in launching a new product or that the surly guy you refuse to acknowledge at the gym is an executive at a firm that you've been trying to get into. It sure helps to know these kinds of things, right? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]