By Fred Taber, BiTS Workshop
(December 11, 2008) MESA, AZ — The Burn-in and Test Socket Workshop (BiTS), co-sponsored by Advanced Packaging magazine, celebrates its tenth annual gathering, March 8
Category Archives: Materials and Equipment
December 9, 2008: A key challenge of nanotechnology research is investigating how different materials behave; many everyday materials exhibit potentially beneficial new properties when shrunk to the nanoscale. Magnetic behavior is one such phenomenon that can change significantly depending on the size of the material. However, the challenge of observing the magnetic properties of nanoscale material has impeded further study of the topic.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed and demonstrated a new method for detecting the magnetic behaviors of nanomaterials. They created a new process for creating a single multi-walled carbon nanotube that is embedded with 1nm-10nm cobalt nanostructures.
After a series of experiments, the research team has concluded that the electrical conductance of carbon nanotubes is sensitive enough to detect and be affected by trace amounts of magnetic activity, such as those present in the embedded cobalt nanostructures. It is believed to be the first instance of demonstrating the detection of magnetic fields of such small magnets using an individual carbon nanotube.
Results of the study were recently published by Nano Letters.
“Since the cobalt clusters in our system are embedded inside the nanotube rather than on the surface, they do not cause electron scattering and thus do not seem to impact the attractive conductive properties of the host carbon nanotube,” said Swastik Kar, research assistant professor in Rensselaer’s department of physics, applied physics, & astronomy, who led the project. “From a fundamental point of view, these hybrid nanostructures belong to a new class of magnetic materials.”
A scanning electron micrograph of cobalt nanoclusters embedded in multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Researchers at Rensselaer used these new hybrid structures, the first of their kind, to detect magnetism at the nanoscale. (Photo credit: Saikat Talapatra/Caterina Soldano)
“These novel hybrid nanostructures open up new avenues of research in fundamental and applied physics, and pave the way for increased functionality in carbon nanotube electronics utilizing the magnetic degree of freedom that could give rise to important spintronics applications,” said Saroj Nayak, an associate professor in Rensselaer’s department of department of physics, applied physics, and astronomy, who also contributed to the project.
Potential applications for such a material include new generations of nanoscale conductance sensors, along with new advances in digital storage devices, spintronics, and selective drug delivery components.
Co-authors of the paper include Caterina Soldano, formerly a graduate student at Rensselaer who is now a postdoctoral research associate at the Centre d’Elaboration de Matériaux et d’Etudes Structurales in Tolouse, France; Professor Saikat Talapatra of the Physics Department of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; and Prof. P.M. Ajayan of the Rice University Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.
Researchers received funding for the project from the New York State Interconnect Focus Center at Rensselaer.
(December 8, 2008) POWAY, CA — Delta Design, a subsidiary of Cohu Inc., has agreed to purchase Rasco GmbH from Dover Corp. for $80M in cash to be funded out of Cohu’s existing cash reserves. Delta supplies IC test handlers and thermal technologies to the semiconductor industry. Rasco, located near Munich, Germany, designs, manufactures and sells gravity-feed and strip semiconductor test handlers used in final test operations by semiconductor manufacturers and test subcontractors. According to James A. Donahue, president and CEO, Cohu, the acquisition extends Cohu’s position in the IC test handler industry and contributes to industry consolidation.
“The Rasco team has earned a reputation for innovative engineering, high quality manufacturing, outstanding customer support and strong financial performance,” noted Donahue. “This transaction significantly expands Cohu’s served market in an industry that we understand very well.” He added that because there is no product overlap and synergies in manufacturing, sales, and service the acquisition will help drive the company’s growth.
“While current semiconductor equipment industry and macroeconomic conditions are difficult, Cohu remains financially strong with approximately $80M cash and no debt after the transaction. The acquisition of Rasco, the margin enhancement initiatives that we have underway, the recent introduction of our new Matrix high-speed test handler, and the planned introduction in 2009 of our next-generation thermal handler for microprocessors, graphics processors and other high performance logic devices, position Cohu for excellent growth in revenue and profits when business conditions improve,” concluded Donahue.
December 4, 2008: SMSC, a semiconductor company providing innovative system solutions spanning analog, digital and mixed-signal technologies, announced two new families of high-accuracy, low-cost temperature sensors. Targeting applications such as notebook PCs, servers, and industrial and embedded systems, these solutions offer a variety of customizable features aimed at improving accuracy and minimizing the system-level footprint.
“Building on our expertise in thermal management, SMSC’s new analog temperature sensing designs continue to drive advancements that enable performance, cost and footprint advantages for our customers,” said Mark Beadle, vice president and general manager – Analog Products and Technology at SMSC. “Our goal is to leverage specialized, proprietary technologies developed by SMSC, which are geared to deliver highly accurate measurements in environments where temperature is constantly changing.”
The EMC141x family is designed to meet the challenges present when measuring the temperature of a substrate diode found on GPUs, CPUs, FPGAs or ASICs. These devices contain several technologies to improve the accuracy of the measurement of smaller geometry processors, including Automatic Beta Compensation that detects the requirements of a thermal diode and self configures the measurement attributes for an accurate reading. Resistance Error Correction adjusts for common series resistance found in substrate diodes and traces that would otherwise lead to measurement error. Ideality Configuration compensates for the common error effect present in substrate diodes and discrete transistors to avoid a spreading error over various temperatures.
The EMC107x family is designed for general purpose thermal management needs where a substrate diode is not being measured by the remote. Both the EMC1414 and EMC1074 use Anti-parallel Diodes to minimize device footprint and to combine the functionality of two remotes into two pins.
December 2, 2008: Nanosensors has added a carbon nanotube SPM probe to its scope of products.
The Nanosensors CNT probes are single/double wall carbon nanotube SPM probes with a tip diameter between 2-3 nm. Compared to other carbon nanotube probes available on the market today that are mostly multiwalled carbon nanotubes, the tip radius of Nanosensors carbon nanotube AFM tips is considerably smaller; they are therefore suitable for high-resolution measurements of nanometer-sized features.
The small tip radius achieved by a single or double wall carbon nanotube probe combined with the wear resistance of the CNT material compared to other materials makes it an ideal probe for high resolution imaging of flat surfaces, in Tapping Mode, or Non-Contact Mode operations in air or vacuum.
Due to their elastic properties single/double wall CNTs are useful on soft matter as well as on hard surfaces. Because of the same elastic properties however, Nanosensors’ single/double wall CNT probes are not suitable for measuring high aspect ratio features like very deep and narrow trenches or contact holes and should only be used by the experienced AFM user. They require special care to enable the user to profit from their unique properties and achieve good results.
The Nanosensors CNT probes will be available in package sizes of two and of five probes.
December 2, 2008: The University of Colorado has been awarded U.S. Patent number 7,426,067 “Atomic layer deposition on micro-mechanical devices,” which has been exclusively licensed to ALD NanoSolutions, Inc.
ALD NanoSolutions is focused on commercializing its nano-coating processes, called Particle ALD and Polymer ALD, and is targeting collaborative research agreements with domain partners for the discovery and validation of innovative composite materials in selected industries.
This patent describes a method and technology for conformal coating Micro/Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS/NEMS) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) for a wide variety of purposes, including hermetic sealing, reducing stiction, surface change control, creating biocompatible films, optical properties control, chemical corrosion protection layers, and electrically insulating layers. The patented technologies, methods and materials can be used to fine tune the properties and function of MEMS/NEMS, allowing new application opportunities and/or superior lifetime reliability.
ALD NanoSolutions, also announced that it has received a $100,000 Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the U. S. Department of Energy, titled “Novel ALD-Coated Nanoparticle Anodes for Enhanced Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries”. This award, will develop nanomaterial technology to enable advanced Li-ion batteries with improved stability and performance.
“In order to realize the promise of novel electrode nanomaterials, ALD coatings are needed to passivate these particulate electrode materials with conformal ultrathin films. Such novel nano-engineered electrodes will address not only capacity retention and power issues, but also the safety problems associated with Li-ion batteries,” said Karen Buechler, president of ALD NanoSolutions, in a statement.
December 1, 2008: IBN executive director Professor Jackie Y. Ying was recognized as one of “One Hundred Engineers of the Modern Era” at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Centennial Celebrations in 2008. This list recognizes 100 chemical engineers who have made significant contributions to the profession after World War II.
IBN’s Professor Ying was listed for breaking ground in new frontiers on nanostructure manipulations; nanoporous materials and host matrices for quantum dots and wires. Other chemical engineers on this list include Professor James E. Bailey (1944-2001), recognized for his achievement as the father of modern bioprocess engineering and IBN Scientific Advisory Board Member, Professor Klavs Jensen, for his leadership in the field of chemical and biological microsystems.
“Some of the world’s greatest inventions and scientific breakthroughs that will transform our lives are being made possible by the work of chemical engineers,” said Professor Ying. “It is therefore an honor to be part of this great tradition. At our Institute, engineers work alongside doctors and other scientists to develop new biomaterials and technologies that aim to make medical treatment more effective, less painful and more affordable for patients.”
Expanding on the need for new technologies to manage environmental issues, Professor Ying added, “We should also create approaches that would enable the fixation of carbon dioxide, and better still, convert this greenhouse gas to a useful form of energy. Nanostructured materials have a role to play in these emerging platforms. To render solar cells cost-effective and highly efficient, we need to design and process novel nanocomposite systems. To convert biomass and carbon dioxide into practical forms of energy and useful petrochemicals, we require new advances in catalytic chemistry and processes, most likely based on nanocomposite catalysts.”
IBN’s Professor Jackie Y. Ying
Chemical engineers would also contribute significantly towards the development of healthcare in the future. According to Professor Ying, “chemical engineers can make a significant impact in engineering better medicine. This would involve the diagnosis of diseases at an early stage, and optimal treatment to individual patients. The former will require combined advances in nanosensors, nanofluidic devices, genomics and bioinformatics. The latter can take the form of smart drug delivery and regenerative medicine. For example, nanoparticles are being developed to target chemotherapeutics in killing cancer-specific cells, instead of creating horrible systemic side effects. Nano-biomimetic scaffolds may be constructed to guide the differentiation of one’s own stem cells to regenerate damaged tissues and organs in vivo.”
AlSiC hermetic packaging assemblies from CPS Technologies offer an alternative to traditional thermal management hermetic packaging materials such as CuMo and CuW. The combinations of lightweight, high thermal conductivity, CTE matching, and low cost make it appropriate for applications in which thermal management and/or weight are important.
Unlike CuMo and CuW, which require machining for all but the simplest shapes, many AlSiC designs are cast to the final shape, requiring no secondary machining. The net-shape casting capability reportedly enables the direct creation of functional design features, such as pockets for circulators as well as cavities or pedestals for die.
These hermetic packages will typically be in the form of an AlSiC base or heatsink brazed to a conventional alloy seal ring or hermetic package. The frame includes a matched glass seal to the ASTM F-15 (Kovar) pins. The entire package is hermetic to better than 10-9 atm-cm3/s, and is RoHS compliant. CPS Technologies Norton, MA; www.alsic.com
What is the impact of environmental concerns on today’s clean environments?
By Jena Parise and Dan Kiernan, Stonhard
Green continues to be the buzzword of this era and permeates every aspect of our lives, from political arenas to the field of education to the building and construction industry. And as we consider fuel supplies and the potential threat of melting polar ice caps, the momentum around this topic swirls at an expeditious pace.
Bringing green into the clean environment
For companies that deal with the manufacture of sensitive electronic materials or in pharmaceutical settings where specific standards of particle or microbiological contamination must be strictly regulated, going green may seem to be a secondary concern. In these cleanroom settings, stringent ISO standards and internal company guidelines must be strictly enforced to ensure that a properly controlled environment is maintained at all times. But bringing alternative, sustainable, green design and building principles into these critical environments doesn’t have to mean risking contamination or quality control in sensitive areas. There are resinous flooring options available that provide the high level of required performance while serving as sustainable and green alternatives to traditional materials.
Resinous flooring can provide a long-term solution for a cleanroom while supporting many of the green properties that are important for the environment and affect the carbon footprint of the building.
Consider the following critical aspects when choosing a sustainable flooring solution for a cleanroom.
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November 28, 2008: The George Washington University has announced the establishment of the GW Institute for Nanotechnology. This institute will draw on the expertise of the University’s faculty members in mechanical, aerospace, electrical, computer, civil, and environmental engineering; physics, chemistry; and biochemistry. The institute is supported through special endowment funding designated for academic programs with the potential for a high level of intellectual distinction.
As part of the institute’s initial efforts, 16 faculty members from GW’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and Columbian College of Arts and Sciences will jointly undertake research projects related to nanostructured materials and their properties, applications and devices incorporating nanostructures, computational modeling and analysis, and nanomanufacturing and metrology. Projects already underway include developing a system for nanopatterning and scanning tunneling microscopy, studying growth of carbon nanotubes, creating computational mechanical modeling of nanomaterials, researching nanomagnetics, and constructing filtration with nanostructure materials.
“Nanotechnology is a vital area of national importance with applications across a wide spectrum from medicine to electronics to improving water quality worldwide,” said David Dolling, dean of GW’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. “National laboratories, federal agencies, and private sector corporations all recognize the as-yet untapped potential for discoveries in this emerging field, and we believe that our engineers and scientists will be among those who unlock some of its exciting secrets. The GW Institute for Nanotechnology facilitates their task by creating an infrastructure that fosters multi-disciplinary efforts and provides research support.”
Peg Barratt, dean of GW’s Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and professor of psychology, added, “Nanotechnology calls for an extremely diverse approach, and we have a breadth and depth of experts who can gather in a common interest to explore its possibilities. The institute will build our knowledge about matter on an atomic and molecular scale, and our professors will share that science-based analysis with students and with the world.”
Explaining the importance of work in nanotechnology to the University’s engineering and science education programs, Ryan Vallance, GW professor of mechanical engineering and lead professor in the establishment of the institute, said, “Nanoscale phenomena are frequently incompatible with our classical intuition and experiences. Traditional engineering theories, like continuum mechanics, which engineers have used for over a century to design new devices, break down in nanotechnology. We have to now teach students additional physical, chemical, biological, and statistical principles that govern nanotechnology. The institute will help us incorporate nanotechnology into our educational programs, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.”