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The development of studies in semiconductor materials is traced from its beginnings with Michael Faraday in 1833 to the production of the first silicon transistor in 1954, which heralded the age of silicon electronics and microelectronics. Prior to the advent of band theory, work was patchy and driven by needs of technology. However, the arrival of this successful quantum theory of solids, together with a concentration on the growth of pure silicon and germanium and an understanding of their properties, saw an explosion in activity in semiconductor studies that has continued to this day.

Presents the results of a combined performance/mapping study used to evaluate a Belgian research institute in microelectronics. Results from one bibliometric approach were used to validate results of another. Findings indicated that the method provides a detailed and useful picture of the position of the institute from an international perspective. (AEF)

Describes a modified frequency-sensitive self-organization (FSO) algorithm for image data compression and the associated VLSI architecture. Topics discussed include vector quantization; VLSI neural processor architecture; detailed circuit implementation; and a neural network vector quantization prototype chip. Examples of images using the FSO method are included. (27 references) (LRW)

A set of educational materials that have been developed which deal with chemical engineering applications in emerging technologies is described. The organization and the content of the supplemental textbook materials and how they can be integrated into an undergraduate reaction engineering course are discussed. (KR)

Discussion of the relationship between information and development in Third World countries highlights information systems development in four South Asian nations: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The impact of microelectronics technology, development theories, multinational corporations, international information agencies, and variables of national political economy are considered. (57 references) (LRW)

Presents a model for silicon oxidation in the manufacture of silicon devices and integrated circuits. Provides homework problems and their solutions. (YP)

Understanding the interfacial phonon transport is essential for optimizing the thermal management of microelectronics, especially for high energy density devices. Some calculations have suggested that introducing interfacial defects or disorders will increase the interfacial thermal conductance, which helps heat dissipation, while some studies suggested otherwise. In this work, we introduced substitutional impurities in GaN by growing a ∼2-nm-thick AlxGa1−xN or InxGa1−xN alloyed interlayer at the Al/GaN interface and measured the interface thermal conductance by time-domain thermoreflectance at room temperature. Our results show that substituting Ga atoms near the interface with either lighter Al atoms or heavier In atoms at a nominal concentration of 20% or less will not necessarily change the thermal conductance of the Al/alloy interface but is detrimental to the thermal transport across the total Al/GaN interface, which provides an experimental guideline for the thermal design of GaN-based devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micro‐scale energy storage devices (MESDs) have experienced significant revolutions driven by developments in micro‐supercapacitors (MSCs) and micro‐batteries (MBs). This review summarizes the advancements of MSC and MB architecture, highlighting the electrode–electrolyte designs and the emergence of alkali metal ions aqueous batteries. The performance and synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), and their synergistic effects for energy storage applications are investigated. The focus is on integrating CQDs/GQDs into the MESDs for enhanced performance. The development of compositing CQD/GQD with other materials, reveals their capacitive and pseudocapacitive performance, extending the MESDs’ possibilities. Moreover, this review systematically covers various fabrication techniques from photolithography to printing techniques. The merits and practicality of each technique for fabricating MSCs and MBs are assessed. Electrochemical performance evaluation, capacitance enhancement, charge–discharge kinetics, and stability assessments are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of MESDs with practical applications. Despite significant progress, challenges remain, particularly in the scalability of fabrication and understanding long‐term stability. Nevertheless, the prospects are promising, with avenues in synthesis, fabrication, and electrochemical performance evaluation, which lead to a paradigm shift in MESDs. This review offers a broad perspective, combining innovations across diverse domains and directing the frontline of microelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quest for miniaturization across technical disciplines, microscale ceramic blocks emerge as pivotal components, with performance critically dependent on precise scales and intricate shapes. Sharp-edged ceramic microparticles, applied from micromachining to microelectronics, require innovative fabrication techniques for high-throughput production while maintaining structural complexity and mechanical integrity. This study introduces a "one-pot microfluidic fabrication" system incorporating two device fabrication strategies, "groove & tongue" and sliding assembling, achieving an unprecedented array of microparticles with diverse, complex shapes and refined precision, outperforming traditional methods in production rate and quality. Optimally designed sintering profiles based on derivative thermogravimetry enhance microparticles' shape retention and structural strength. Compression and scratch tests validate the superiority of microparticles, suggesting their practicability for diverse applications, such as precise micromachining, sophisticated microrobotics and delicate microsurgical tools. This advancement marks a shift in microscale manufacturing, offering a scalable solution to meet the demanding specifications of miniaturized technology components. Drawing from historical tradition, "groove & tongue" sliding assembled devices were created in a one-pot microfluidic fabrication system, enabling the production of complex-shaped microparticles with high precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroLEDs, particularly when integrated with CMOS microelectronics, represent a significant advancement in nitride technology. While large-area, high-power LEDs for solid-state lighting have seen extensive optimization, microLEDs present unique fabrication and characterization challenges. Utilizing standard CMOS design and foundry services for silicon driver electronics, a new hybrid interconnect technology must be developed for chip–chip or wafer–wafer integration, necessitating much higher lateral resolution than current bonding technologies. Beyond display technology, microLED integration opens avenues for groundbreaking applications such as highly efficient nanosensors, miniaturized optical neuromorphic networks, and robust chip-based microscopy. This paper explores recent advancements in nitride/CMOS hybrid modules, providing an overview of current technologies and future possibilities in this dynamic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the maturity of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) microelectronics, qubits realized with spins in silicon quantum dots (QDs) are considered among the most promising technologies for building scalable quantum computers. For this goal, ultra-low-power on-chip cryogenic CMOS (cryo-CMOS) electronics for control, read-out, and interfacing of the qubits is an important milestone. We report on-chip interfacing of tunable electron and hole QDs by a 64-channel cryo-CMOS multiplexer with less-than-detectable static power dissipation. We analyze charge noise and measure state-of-the-art addition energies and gate lever arm parameters in the QDs. We correlate low noise in QDs and sharp turn-on characteristics in cryogenic transistors, both fabricated with the same gate stack. Finally, we demonstrate that our hybrid quantum-CMOS technology provides a route to scalable interfacing of a large number of QD devices, enabling, for example, variability analysis and QD qubit geometry optimization, which are prerequisites for building large-scale silicon-based quantum computers. The integration of quantum dot spin qubits and classical cryogenic microelectronics is important for scaling up silicon-based quantum computers. The authors show that their silicon technology tailored for low-power electronics and low-noise quantum dots enables the integration of classical multiplexers and quantum dot spin qubit devices on the same chip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Silicon Valley, the Bhopal disaster led to a bitter controversy regarding poisonous gases used in high-tech manufacturing. Concerned by the potential release of deadly gases by semiconductor plants, fire departments drafted a stringent ordinance regarding their use, handling, and storage. Microelectronics firms opposed the ordinance and campaigned for a weaker set of rules. As public opinion shifted toward strict regulation, the Inter-Governmental Council of Santa Clara County forced industry to go back to the negotiating table and develop a revised version of the firefighters' ordinance in collaboration with the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, an environmental group. The toxics gas ordinance was later incorporated into the Uniform Fire Code and set the rules for the utilization of hazardous gases in the American West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The edge reconstruction of two‐dimensional (2D) materials is significant for the stability, properties, and applications. Significant progress has been made in understanding the edge reconstruction of 2D materials. Herein, an overview of the latest theoretical and experimental advances on edge reconstruction of α‐phase phosphorene nanoribbon and IV–VI group binary compounds MX (M = Ge, Sn; X = S, Se), focusing on the mechanism, stability, physical, and chemical properties of the edge reconstructions is provided. The status, challenges, and contradictions in experiments and theory are addressed and the progress in edge reconstruction of α‐phase puckered 2D materials as well as the effects of edge reconstruction on physicochemical properties are systematically introduced. A novel tube‐like edge reconstruction is suggested to be universal for α‐phase puckered monolayers. While ZZ(U) edge can be another important reconstruction in bilayer. Beyond the review, the edge structures of phosphorene have odd–even layered oscillations are also proposed. The edge terminations can affect the exfoliation mechanism and electronic, transport properties. Interesting, unique U‐edge, which has been verified by experiment, exhibits nearly edgeless electronic and thermal transport, which is beneficial for ultrafast microelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microrobotic platforms hold significant potential to advance a variety of fields, from medicine to environmental sensing. Herein, minimally functional robotic entities modeled on readily achievable state‐of‐the‐art features in a modern lab or cleanroom are computationally simulated. Inspired by Dou and Bishop (Phys Rev Res. 2019;1(3):1–5), it is shown that the simple combination of unidirectional steering connected to a single environmental (chemical) sensor along with constant propulsion gives rise to highly complex functions of significant utility. Such systems can trace the contours orthogonal to arbitrary chemical gradients in the environment. Also, pairs of such robots that are additionally capable of emitting the same chemical signal are shown to exhibit coupled relative motion. When the pair has unidirectional steering in opposite directions within the 2D plane (i.e., counter‐rotating), they move in parallel trajectories to each other. Alternatively, when steering is in the same direction (corotation), the two move in the same epicyclical trajectory. In this way, the chirality of the unidirectional steering produces two distinct emergent phenomena. The behavior is understood as a ratchet mechanism that exploits the differential in the radii of curvature corresponding to different spatial locations. Applications to environmental detection, remediation, and monitoring are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous alumina films are isotropic and have no grain boundaries, which make them have smooth surfaces, excellent properties, and wide applications in protective coatings, catalysis, and microelectronics. However, high-quality alumina films were usually prepared by vapor-phase approaches which need expensive equipment and long production time. Additionally, amorphous films are long-range disordered, which makes the study of structure–property relationships challenging. Here, a simple sol–gel method is employed to obtain high-quality amorphous Al2O3 thin films. The microstructure, morphology, and mechanical properties of amorphous Al2O3 thin films were systematically investigated. All the Al2O3 thin films heat-treated at 600–800∘C are in amorphous state with ultrasmooth surface (Ra values about 0.29–0.43 nm) and high mechanical properties (elastic modulus ∼170 GPa, hardness ∼20 GPa). The mechanical properties (E and H) of Al2O3 films gradually increase with the increase of heat-treating temperature. Additionally, the Al coordination of the amorphous alumina films are analyzed by solid-state NMR and correlated with the mechanical properties. The results show that in amorphous alumina, the presence of tetrahedral Al ([4]Al) and octahedral Al ([6]Al) is helpful to improve the mechanical properties, while the five-coordinated Al ([5]Al) is not conducive to improve the mechanical properties. The results demonstrate that sol–gel method is an attractive alternative to time-consuming and expensive vapor-phase approaches and are useful for scale-up to applications and research of amorphous alumina films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented sanctions policy against Russia forces us to think about the directions of development of the domestic economy. One of the priority directions is the development of the domestic electronic industry — the most knowledge-intensive branch of mechanical engineering, the structural core of the post-industrial wave in accordance with the wave concept of E. Toffler. It is electronic products, including components and products made from them, that are extremely differentiated and, among other things, serve as components for other industrial and consumer goods. This means that the development of other spheres and sectors of the economy becomes difficult without the development of the electronic industry. To determine the basic strategy for the development of the electronic industry in Russia. Tasks of the article — to identify the strategic role of innovations in electronics and microelectronics in Russia’s achievement of technological sovereignty.The article is based on the general theory of strategy and methodology of strategizing by academician, foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. L. Kvint, developed at the Center for Strategic Studies of the Institute for Mathematical Research of Complex Systems and the Department of Economic and Financial Strategy of Lomonosov Moscow State University.The article provides an overview of global innovation trends and startups that are transforming the electronic industry today. In addition to the review, the author provides statistical information on the level of development of these technologies in Russia.The strategy for the development of the electronic industry in Russia should be based on a reorientation towards innovative products and components, as well as innovative production methods.

Transport and alignment of microscopic chips are important steps in microelectronics component integration with common approaches being pick‐and‐place, microfluidics, parallel transfer and self‐assembly. An alternate transport approach of microscopic chips is proposed using patterned liquid micro rails as chaperones. The surface free energy and interfacial free energy minimization of all constituents enable the creation of stable pathways. This allows for chip‐attachment to rails, while the liquid layer lubricates chip‐sliding. Monorails, digital monorails, and digital birails are investigated for chip movement behavior. Chip position and speed can be controlled using liquid flow in closed chambers. Speeds from 10 to 400 mm s−1 are achieved with translation distances as long as 50 mm. It is discovered that chips can selectively cross rail discontinuities of up to 500 µm, allowing for chip position control through a stop‐and‐go motion. A programmable liquid rails‐based chip conveyor system is demonstrated by transporting diodes to receptor sites where they undergo self‐assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review provides a summary of the existing literature on a crucial raw material for the production of isotopically pure semiconductors, which are essential for the development of second-generation quantum systems. Silicon-28-tetrafluoride (28SiF4) is used as an educt for several isotope-engineered chemicals, such as silane-28 (28SiH4) and silicon-28-trichloride (28SiHCl3), which are needed in the pursuit of various quantum technologies. We are exploring the entire chain from the synthesis of 28SiF4 to quantum applications. This includes the chemical properties of SiF4, isotopic enrichment, conversion to silanes, conversion to bulk 28Si and thin films, the physical properties of 28Si (spin neutrality, thermal conductivity, optical properties), and the applications in quantum computing, photonics, and quantum sensing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiplier is a pervasive critical component today. However, most of them are difficult to be integrated into an integrated circuit. In this study, we proposed a novel analog multiplier for AC power application, using CMOS process to realize the analog voltage multiplication function of double-ended input and single-ended output. Under the working voltage of 3.3 V, the multiplier can operate with a wide input voltage range of 0–1.6 V (about 48.8% of the working voltage) and a wide output voltage range of 0–2.56 V (about 77.5% of the working voltage). The multiplier is implemented through the current difference between two NMOSs operating in the linear region and the saturation region, respectively. Compared with the existing technique, the proposed analog multiplier has a wider input and output range, and better linearity. It is suitable for AC power signal tracking and modulation. Finally, the United Microelectronics Corporation 0.18 μm 1P4M CMOS standard process was used for physical implementation. Moreover, there is not any BJT or special device used. It was measured that the analog multiplier circuit consumes about 0.56 mW at a working voltage of 3.3 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitous implementation of integrated microelectronics requires the on-chip power sources featured with the lightweight configuration design, high areal-capacity-loadings as well as facile reaction kinetics that beyond the current available microbattery prototypes. Herein, this study constructs a mechanically flexible, nanocellulose fiber (NCF) reinforced microbattery configuration, which consists of metal–organic frameworks (ZIF-8) modified NCF as the separator (MOF@NCF), the carbonized MOF@NCF as the metallic deposition substrate (c-MOF@NCF) as well as gradient-structured LiFePO4 particles infiltrated in the NCF matrix (LFP@NCF) as the cathode. The film-stacked, integrated NCF-based microbattery prototype not only achieves the facile reaction kinetics with homogenized, dendrite-free Li metal deposition at high-capacity-loadings (2 mAh·cm−2), but also eliminates the necessary use of metallic current collector to maximize the electroactive mass ratio, which therefore enables the high energy density of 6.8 mWh·cm−2 at the power output of 1.36 mW·cm−2 as well as the robust cyclability upon various geometric flexing states. This study presents a quantum leap towards the facile reaction kinetics and multi-scale interfacial stability for the flexible microbattery construction that based on the sustainable utilization of bio-scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By examining the diffraction data, the microstructure of the ball-milled synthesized powder sample ( Ba 0. 9 9 9 8 Pr 0. 0 0 2 TiO3) was characterized. Through the application of Rietveld's powder structure refinement approach to analyze X-ray powder diffraction data of ball-milled powder mixes, structural and microstructural alterations in terms of lattice defects have been assessed in the formation of single-phase praseodymium-modified BaTiO3. Bond lengths, bond angles, and generated locations of the Ba 0. 9 9 8 Pr0 . 0 0 2 TiO3 ceramic have been discussed about its generated structure. X-ray diffraction with respect to the first sharp diffraction peak (FSDP) is used to study the nanostructure of void species. General equations were utilized to determine various FSDP characteristics such as interlayer separation, correlation length, nanovoid diameter and scattering vector magnitude. Although the literature reports on many properties of Pr-modified barium titanate ceramic, this sample's quantitative analysis and nanovoid determination are presented for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valveless micropump, important components of a microfluidic system, are widely used in biomedicine, chemical industry, microelectronics cooling and other fields. At present, the driving mode of micropump is mainly single drive, resulting in insufficient driving force and low output pressure. In this study, the overall structure of valveless micropump is designed, and the driving component and the internal inlet and outlet are compared and analyzed by finite element simulation. Moreover, the valveless micropump prototype is processed and developed for performance test. Results show that the output performance of the valveless micropump driven by piezoelectric and heating coupling is better than that of the piezoelectric micropump. When the ambient temperature was 20 °C, 140 V voltage and 40 Hz frequency were added to the piezoelectric component, as well as a 3A current to the heating plate. Furthermore, the liquid flow rate through the microneedle was 0.98 µl/s after a period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The semiconductor industry is continuing the scaling down of both device and on-chip interconnect features, for performance and economic reasons. This trend has implications for the design of guard ring structures, i.e. metallic non-functional structures in the back-end-of-line (BEoL) stack designed to be efficient to stop microcracks. In this work, we present a sample design for an in situ experiment to study mechanical degradation and failure mechanisms of crack stop structures in the BEoL stack, to ensure the mechanical robustness of microchips for future technology nodes. Additional finite element method (FEM) simulations provide supplementary understanding of the crack kinetics. To examine the effects of mechanical loading on crack stop elements of the BEoL stack, a novel sample geometry for an in situ fatigue experiment using x-ray microscopy was developed. The x-ray microscope (ZEISS Xradia 800 Ultra) enables high-resolution imaging of the 3D-patterned sample structures and defects such as microcracks. The tailored sample geometry allows the application of a tensile load to a BEoL specimen by a lever mechanism. The feasibility of the sample design is shown by mode-I loading of a pure interconnect sample. Post-mortem analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confirming planar microcrack propagation from the notch through the dielectric layer with small deflections of the crack path near cone shaped copper vias. FEM simulations focusing on the stress-strain fields around a crack tip indicate the beginning of copper plasticity as major mechanism starting the redirection of cracks due to resulting material compression in front of the obstacle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote thermal sensing has emerged as a temperature detection technique for tasks in which standard contact thermometers cannot be used due to environment or dimension limitations. One of such challenging tasks is the measurement of temperature in microelectronics. Here, optical thermometry using co-doped and mixed dual-center Gd2O3:Tb3+/Eu3+ samples were realized. Ratiometric approach based on monitoring emission intensities of Tb3+ (5D4–7F5) and Eu3+ (5D0–7F2) transition provided sensing in the range of 30 °C–80 °C. Dispersion system type only slightly affected relative sensitivity, accuracy and precision. The applicability of phosphors synthesized to be utilized as remote optical thermometers for microelectronics has been proved with an example on a surface mount resistor and microcontroller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear physics experiments use specially designed modular units that process signals from radiation detectors and provide information on the nature of these processes. These units, called nuclear electronics, form the basis of nuclear spectrometry systems in medicine, dosimetry, cosmic ray research, and other sources of ionizing radiation. The article describes the creation of an electrical measurement circuit for the ΔE-E method of recording and identifying lightly charged particles using the MultiSim program.By using this program, a spectrometric amplifier, a single-channel analyzer, and a coincidence circuit were simulated using modern microelectronic components. Based on the simulated circuit, a prototype of a spectrometric amplifier was created. The signal obtained from the created prototype coincides with the simulated one. The obtained data indicate that the simulated scheme can be used for experiments in nuclear physics for the identification of lightly charged particles, as well as in other areas where there is a need for nuclear spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-temperature plasmas (LTPs) are essential to manufacturing devices in the semiconductor industry, from creating extreme ultraviolet photons used in the most advanced lithography to thin film etching, deposition, and surface modifications. It is estimated that 40%–45% of all process steps needed to manufacture semiconductor devices use LTPs in one form or another. LTPs have been an enabling technology in the multidecade progression of the shrinking of device dimensions, often referred to as Moore's law. New challenges in circuit and device design, novel materials, and increasing demands to achieve environmentally benign processing technologies require advances in plasma technology beyond the current state-of-the-art. The Department of Energy Office of Science Fusion Energy Sciences held a workshop titled Plasma Science for Microelectronics Nanofabrication in August 2022 to discuss the plasma science challenges and technical barriers that need to be overcome to continue to develop the innovative plasma technologies required to support and advance the semiconductor industry. One of the key outcomes of the workshop was identifying a set of priority research opportunities (PROs) to focus attention on the most strategic plasma science challenges to address to benefit the semiconductor industry. For each PRO, scientific challenges and recommended strategies to address those challenges were identified. This article summarizes the PROs identified by the workshop participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma etching is an essential semiconductor manufacturing technology required to enable the current microelectronics industry. Along with lithographic patterning, thin-film formation methods, and others, plasma etching has dynamically evolved to meet the exponentially growing demands of the microelectronics industry that enables modern society. At this time, plasma etching faces a period of unprecedented changes owing to numerous factors, including aggressive transition to three-dimensional (3D) device architectures, process precision approaching atomic-scale critical dimensions, introduction of new materials, fundamental silicon device limits, and parallel evolution of post-CMOS approaches. The vast growth of the microelectronics industry has emphasized its role in addressing major societal challenges, including questions on the sustainability of the associated energy use, semiconductor manufacturing related emissions of greenhouse gases, and others. The goal of this article is to help both define the challenges for plasma etching and point out effective plasma etching technology options that may play essential roles in defining microelectronics manufacturing in the future. The challenges are accompanied by significant new opportunities, including integrating experiments with various computational approaches such as machine learning/artificial intelligence and progress in computational approaches, including the realization of digital twins of physical etch chambers through hybrid/coupled models. These prospects can enable innovative solutions to problems that were not available during the past 50 years of plasma etch development in the microelectronics industry. To elaborate on these perspectives, the present article brings together the views of various experts on the different topics that will shape plasma etching for microelectronics manufacturing of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cybertronics challenges evolve around the complexity of systems and increase in detail and data involved. Existing methods and tools can master some of the rising challenges, but a method being able to handle the challenges was not introduced yet. MBSE is a potential approach to solve these problems, but the available methods were developed for modeling physical systems and software, not cybertronics. Because of the diversity of implementation domains participating in cybertronics systems, the modeling methodology must support the holistic management of requirements, properties, and design data. This paper introduces some promising emerging technologies like Arcadia, SysML V2, SysMD and PMM, that have the potential to interact with other methods and tools, closing the gaps in requirements tracing, system modeling, documentation, and verification. One potential methodology is introduced through a design example from requirements to implementation interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microrobotic platforms hold significant potential to advance a variety of fields, from medicine to environmental sensing. Herein, minimally functional robotic entities modeled on readily achievable state‐of‐the‐art features in a modern lab or cleanroom are computationally simulated. Inspired by Dou and Bishop (Phys Rev Res. 2019;1(3):1–5), it is shown that the simple combination of unidirectional steering connected to a single environmental (chemical) sensor along with constant propulsion gives rise to highly complex functions of significant utility. Such systems can trace the contours orthogonal to arbitrary chemical gradients in the environment. Also, pairs of such robots that are additionally capable of emitting the same chemical signal are shown to exhibit coupled relative motion. When the pair has unidirectional steering in opposite directions within the 2D plane (i.e., counter‐rotating), they move in parallel trajectories to each other. Alternatively, when steering is in the same direction (corotation), the two move in the same epicyclical trajectory. In this way, the chirality of the unidirectional steering produces two distinct emergent phenomena. The behavior is understood as a ratchet mechanism that exploits the differential in the radii of curvature corresponding to different spatial locations. Applications to environmental detection, remediation, and monitoring are discussed.

Nanotwined (nt) copper is attractive in applications such as microbumps in the microelectronics industry because nt-copper presents sound mechanical and physical properties. To date, most studies of the mechanical properties of nt-copper have been performed at macroscales. However, different stories are told at micro/nanoscales, e.g., smaller size leads to higher strength. Understanding the mechanical properties of nt-copper at micro/nanoscales is crucial for improving the reliability and endurability of microdevices. In this paper, we fabricated nt-copper film with tailored microstructures, i.e., twin boundaries (TBs) with different spacings and orientations (parallel or slanted to loading direction). Then, we applied micro-compression testing, atomistic simulation, and theoretical analysis to investigate the influence of vertical twin-boundary spacing λ and orientation on the deformation behavior of nt-micropillars. Results show that the yield stress is increased with decreasing vertical λ. Micropillars with slanted λ = 15.5 nm TBs present the greatest strength, which may be attributed to a finer λ. The phenomenon, strength increasing with decreasing λ, was well explained by the Hall–Petch and confined layer slip models. Large-scale molecular dynamics simulations were used to uncover the atomistic and real-time deformation mechanisms. This microscale research on nt-micropillars may provide insights on designing advanced microelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling and characterization of electromagnetic wave interactions with microelectronic devices to derive network parameters has been a widely used practice in the electronic industry. However, as these devices become increasingly miniaturized with finer-scale geometric features, computational tools must make use of manycore/GPU architectures to efficiently resolve length and time scales of interest. This has been the focus of our open-source solver, ARTEMIS (Adaptive mesh Refinement Time-domain ElectrodynaMIcs Solver), which is performant on modern GPU-based supercomputing architectures while being amenable to additional physics coupling. This work demonstrates its use for characterizing network parameters of transmission lines using established techniques. A rigorous verification and validation of the workflow is carried out, followed by its application for analyzing a transmission line on a CMOS chip designed for a photon-detector application. Simulations are performed for millions of timesteps on state-of-the-art GPU resources to resolve nanoscale features at gigahertz frequencies. The network parameters are used to obtain phase delay and characteristic impedance that serve as inputs to SPICE models. The code is demonstrated to exhibit ideal weak scaling efficiency up to 1024 GPUs and 84% efficiency for 2048 GPUs, which underscores its use for network analysis of larger, more complex circuit devices in the future.

This paper presents an innovative solution to the challenge of part obsolescence in microelectronics, focusing on the semantic segmentation of PCB X-ray images using deep learning. Addressing the scarcity of annotated datasets, we developed a novel method to synthesize X-ray images of PCBs, employing virtual images with predefined geometries and inherent labeling to eliminate the need for manual annotation. Our approach involves creating realistic synthetic images that mimic actual X-ray projections, enhanced by incorporating noise profiles derived from real X-ray images. Two deep learning networks, based on the U-Net architecture with a VGG-16 backbone, were trained exclusively on these synthetic datasets to segment PCB junctions and traces. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of this synthetic data-driven approach, with the networks achieving high Jaccard indices on real PCB X-ray images. This study not only offers a scalable and cost-effective alternative for dataset generation in microelectronics but also highlights the potential of synthetic data in training models for complex image analysis tasks, suggesting broad applications in various domains where data scarcity is a concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid advancements in micro-machining and microelectronics over the last few years have accelerated the growth of implanted medical devices that greatly improve a person's life. These devices first gather the signals from different nodes in/on the body, and then, they condition, multiplex, and digitize the signals. Thus, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which must continuously convert a variety of analog electrophysiological signals to digital codes, is one of the most crucial and power-hungry components. For implantable medical devices, the successive approximation register (SAR) ADC is a good choice. In this paper, a low-power single-ended SAR ADC architecture is proposed to offer good compromises between power efficiency, conversion accuracy, and design complexity. The proposed architecture supports 8-bit resolution at a sampling rate of 1 MS/s. Using a 130-nm CMOS process with 1.2 V supply voltage, an effective number of bits (ENOB) of 7.3 dB is achieved while 28.5 μW power is consumed. The ADC core only occupies an active area of about 197 μm × 377 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative temperature coefficient (NTC) chip thermistors were thermally coupled to form a novel device (TCCT) aimed for application in microelectronics. It consists of two NTC chip thermistors Th1 and Th2, which are small in size (0603) and power (1/10 W). They are in thermal junction, but concurrently they are electrically isolated. The first thermistor Th1 generates heat as a self-heating component at a constant supply voltage U (input thermistor), while the second thermistor Th2 receives heat as a passive component (output thermistor). The temperature dependence R(T) of NTC chip thermistors was measured in the climatic test chamber, and the exponential factor B10/30 of thermistor resistance was determined. After that, a self–heating current I1 of the input thermistor was measured vs. supply voltage U and ambient temperature Ta as a parameter. Input resistance R1 was determined as a ratio of U and I1 while output thermistor resistance R2 was measured by a multimeter concurrently with the current I1. Temperatures T1 and T2 of both thermistors were determined using the Steinhart–Hart equation. Heat transfer, thermal response, stability, and inaccuracy were analyzed. The application of thermally coupled NTC chip thermistors is expected in microelectronics for the input to output electrical decoupling/thermal coupling of slow changeable signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their very high resolution and high level of technological maturity, OLED microdisplays are an ideal image generator for VR, AR and MR applications in near‐to‐eye optics. However, due to the silicon‐based backplane, these microdisplays have always been non‐transparent, requiring a complex optical system for integration into an optic. This has a significant impact on the weight, size and overall optical efficiency of the system. In this paper, a novel technology for the realization of semi‐transparent OLED‐on‐silicon microdisplays is presented, which enables completely new optical concepts for near‐to‐eye optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) offers a novel approach to harness mechanical energy continuously and sustainably. It has emerged as a leading technology for converting mechanical energy into electricity. The demand for self‐powered wearable microelectronics and energy generation in extreme conditions underscores the need for efficient high‐temperature operatable TENGs (HTO‐TENGs). However, the operating environment temperature not only affects the storage and dissipation of electrons during triboelectrification, leading to decreased output performance of TENG and instability at high temperatures, but also damage to the mechanical stability and effective defects in most tribo‐materials, resulting in a further reduction in TENG's effective output power. Moreover, the unstable material properties of the triboelectric layer at high temperatures also restrict the use of the TENG in harsh environments. Therefore, it is imperative to consider the structural durability and electrical output stability of TENG when applying it in challenging working environments. This review aims to bridge this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and research advancements in HTO‐TENG for the first time. Finally, this review presents insights into future research prospects and proposes design strategies to facilitate the rapid development of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]