Printed Circuits and Microelectronics

Nonlinearity in filmic presentation: Part II, discussion

Abstract: This is the second of a two-part report of an exploratory study that used controlled experimentation to examine the nonlinear relationships among humans and their informational environments. The primary objectives of the study were first to postulate the concept of nonlinearity as central in these relationships, then to explore the concept experimentally, and finally to reflect productively upon these efforts in a search for meaningful avenues of further exploration. Since it was believed that a review of the controlled phase of the study would set the stage for exploration of its more conceptual aspects, Part I of this report

Silicon for industry: Component design, mass production, and the move to commercial markets at Fairchild semiconductor, 1960–1967

Abstract: Most accounts of the microelectronics revolution have emphasized the role of military patronage and procurement in the shaping of silicon technology and the consolidation of the semiconductor industry. Little attention has been devoted, however, to the silicon industry's shift from military to commercial markets in the early and mid‐1960s. Drawing on an examination of Fairchild Semiconductor, the firm that initiated this shift, this essay argues that the silicon industry's expansion into non‐military markets was indissociable from deep changes in manufacturing, organizational structures as well as component and system technologies. Special attention is devoted to the ways in which Fairchild created a user base for its products in the computer and consumer electronics industries by hiring engineers from these sectors and encouraging them to design components as well as applications for the firm's potential customers. This article also examines how Fairchild introduced mass production techniques fr...

The Early History of Microcircuitry: An Overview

Abstract: From the 1940s into the early 1960s, hundreds of scientists and engineers worldwide pursued efforts in microcircuitry-miniaturized, integrated electronic circuits By tracing the diverse activities and alternatives they explored-from early printed wiring to semiconductor integrated circuit efforts-this article provides the first comprehensive overview of the early history of microcircuitry

Miniaturization of Electronics

Abstract: Miniaturization has made it possible for electronics to penetrate society more widely and deeply than ever before. Pocket calculators, electronic watches, miniature colour television receivers and the like are only some of the examples of the miniaturization of electronics of which the general public first became aware. Even before they came along, miniaturized electronic systems had made a significant impact in military, industrial, and commercial areas. Miniaturization helped in the exploration of space, in communications, in the control of machinery and processes, and in the handling and processing of data. The miniaturization of electronics is sometimes regarded as a somewhat late development that derives from the integrated circuit; yet miniaturization on the grounds of size, weight, and power requirements was under way long before the integrated circuit was invented and even before the transistor became commercially available. Valve (vacuum-tube) manufacturers were remarkably successful in producing miniature and subminiature valves, some of them smaller than a present-day power transistor; and the screen printing of resistive and other passive components, and the concept of electronic modules, helped to bring about smaller electronic systems. Yet the big acceleration towards microelectronics did indeed begin with the invention of the integrated circuit, when at first small and later large circuits were formed on a single chip of silicon. The net result was systems far larger and far more complex than could even have been dreamed of before.

Microwave Printed Circuits - A Historical Survey

Abstract: The microwave printed circuit, as described in this paper, is an extension of the well-known technique which is of such importance in the lower frequency regions, where lumped element circuits are practical. This new circuit possesses all of the virtues of other printed circuits, such as light weight, cheapness, ease of manufacture, miniaturization, etc., along with the ability to be used at frequencies as high as 10,000 mc. The basis of the new technique is the planar or "flat strip" coaxial transmission system which was developed during World War II but which has remained unpublished and relatively unknown in the postwar period; and for which an adequate theoretical analysis had not been available.

Printed-Circuit Techniques

Abstract: A comprehensive treatment of the complete field of printed circuits is presented Circuits are defined as being "printed" when they are produced on an insulated surface by any process The methods of printing circuits fall in six main classifications: (1) Painting Conductor and resistor paints are applied separately by means of a brush or a stencil bearing the electronic pattern After drying, tiny capacitors and subminiature tubes are added to complete the unit (2) Spraying Molten metal or paint is sprayed on to form the circuit conductors Resistance paints may also be sprayed Included in this classification are an abrasive spraying process and a die-casting method (3) Chemical deposition Chemical solutions are poured onto a surface originally covered with a stencil A thin metallic film is precipitated on the surface in the form of the desired electronic circuit For conductors the film is electroplated to increase its conductance (4) Vacuum processes Metallic conductors and resistors are distilled onto the surface through a suitable stencil (5) Die-stamping Conductors are punched out of metal foil by either hot or cold dies and attached to an insulated panel Resistors may also be stamped out of a specially coated plastic film (6) Dusting Conducting powders are dusted onto a surface through a stencil and fired Powders are held on either with a binder or by an electrostatic method Methods employed up to the present have been painting, spraying, and die-stamping

The Micro-Module: A Logical Approach to Microminiaturization

Abstract: Among the diverse activities of research and development of electronic parts at the U. S. Army Signal Research and Development Laboratory, particular emphasis has been placed on the evolution of a coherent and practical microminiaturization "system." An objective analysis of the several techniques suitable for a system base indicates that the advantages of each of the techniques could be combined logically into an approach called the "micromodule." The flexibility of this system to assimilate advancements in the state of the art, its compatibility to mechanized assembly, and its short- and long-range applicability as a universal construction system for all low and medium power circuits are reviewed. The weakness of "miniaturization for miniaturization's sake" is discussed frankly, and perspective is drawn for microminiature, circuits, for digital circuits and for general electronic usage. Latest experimental micro-modules are illustrated and their features are discussed. Several complex solid-state circuits are shown and quantitatively assessed to show the ultimate capabilities of this approach and its adaptability to the micro-module construction philosophy.

The DOFLM Microelectronics Program

Abstract: A program on microelectronics (electronic microminiaturization) has been underway for the past two years at the Diamond Ordnance Fuze Laboratories (DOFL). Fourteen-component-part, transistorized binary counters were fabricated on 1/2-inch squares of steatite ceramic, 1/50 inch in thickness; and 5-part NOR's, on 1/2-inch squares of the same thickness. The techniques that have proved most useful in the program have been 1) photolithographic procedures for the accurate placement at microscopic dimensions of physical masks and electrical insulation, 2) thin film deposition using vacuum, chemical, and screening methods, 3) the use of a conductive adhesive which yields high strength and low resistivity connections, and 4) ultrasonic drilling and air abrasion enabling substrates and devices to be formed to desired sizes and shapes. Concurrent with the physical fabrication, studies were made of detailed circuit design and system applications. Future work will include 1) refinement of the present techniques to achieve inexpensive, reliable circuit wafers capable of mass production by industry, and 2) development of advanced methods more fully utilizing thin film deposition and diffusion techniques.