Integrated-circuit developments

From the early 1980s to present, infrared sensitive two dimensional arrays were mated to integrated circuits for signal processing and sensitivity to better than 0.03 K (see Photodetectors). These focal plane arrays of some 500 by 500 elements eliminate the need for scanning and provide good spatial resolution. Some versions have no special cooling requirements. The development trend is to increase the number of pixels to improve resolution, increase the field of view and keep the size and cost of the optics within acceptable bounds. 

To achieve the lowest possible delay a bipolar switching transistor developed by IBM minimizes parasitic resistances and capacitances. It consists of self-aligned emitter and base contacts, a thin intrinsic base with an optimized collector doping profile, and deep-trench isolation (36). Devices must be isolated from each other to prevent unwanted interactions in integrated circuits. While p—n junctions can be used for isolation, IBM s approach etches deep trenches in the siUcon wafer which are filled with Si02 to provide electrical insulation. 

Trichloroethane and other chlorinated solvents are used for vapor degreasing (84—90). Other uses include cold metal cleaning, printed ckcuit board cleaning, and as a solvent for inks, coatings, adhesives, and aerosols. 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is an excellent solvent for development of photoresist polymers used in printed ckcuit board manufacture (see Integrated circuits Photoconductivepolymers). 

The growth of electroless plating is directiy traceable to (/) the discovery that some alloys produced by electroless deposition, notably nickel phosphoms, have unique properties (2) the growth of the electronics industry, especially the development of printed circuits (see Electronic coatings Integrated circuits) and (i) the large-scale introduction of plastics into everyday life. 

Multilayered structures play an important role in the production of, e.g., biomaterials, catalysts, corrosion protectors, detectors/diodes, gas and humidity sensors, integral circuits, optical parts, solar cells, and wear protection materials. One of the most sophisticated developments is a head-up-display (HUD) for cars, consisting of a polycarbonate substrate and a series of the layers Cr (25 nm), A1 (150 nm), SiO, (55 nm), TiO, (31 nm), and SiO, (8 nm). Such systems should be characterized by non-destructive analytical methods. 

The Rome Air Development Command (RADC - Rome NY) provides the MIL HDBK 217 series of detailed electronics information. Early reports in this series provided failure rates for electronic components. The development of integrated circuits resulted in the approach of providing parameters for mathematical models of transistors and integrated circuits. RADC also publishes Nonelectronic Parts Reliability Data covering the failure rates of components ranging from batteries to valves. 

The study of electrons trapped in matter (commonly termed solid state ) led eventually to the invention of the transistor in 1947 by Walter Brattain, John Bardeen, and William Shockley at Bell Laboratories, and then to the integrated circuit hy Robert Noyce and Jack Kilby a decade later. Use of these devices dominated the second half of the twentieth century, most notably through computers, with a significant stininlus to development being given by military expenditures. 

Developing better processes for deposition and coating of thin films. An integrated circuit, in essence, is a series of electrically coimected thin films. Thin films are the key stractural feature of recording media and optical fibers, as well. 

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