MarchApril 2006

THRESHOLD The ESD Association newslet- ter, for everyone with an interest in the understanding and control of electrostatic discharge. ™ News bits Volume 21, No. 7 March/April 2006 In this issue 2006 symposium program ....... 1 Volunteer Spotlight .................... 2 NARTE Exam Results .............. 2 From the President .................. 3 Standards activity update ......... 4 Device/Design Seminar ........... 5 Corporate membership ............ 5 Program Manager tutorials ....... 6 ESD in the Nanoelectronic Era 7 Exhibit at symposium ............... 8 ESD On Campus ..................... 9 Preliminary meeting schedule 10 Education schedule for 2006 .. 10 And the survey says ................ 11 Calendar ................................. 12 2006 Symposium Program Device/Design Seminar set for May The Device/Design Seminar, which counts towards four classes required for ESD Certified Professional-Device/Design cer- tification is set for May 1-2 at ESDA Head- quarters. See page 5 for more informa- tion. The EOS/ESD Symposium, the largest venue dedicated to EOS and ESD educa- tion, is only six months away. The 28th annual EOS/ESD Symposium is sched- uled for September 9-15, 2006, at the Westin La Paloma in Tucson, Arizona. The symposium will combine technical ses- sions, tutorials, workshops, exhibits and other events representing the best educa- tion, the latest research, and the most up- to-date technology the international ESD community has to offer. This year's sym- posium features in-depth educational op- portunities focused on three primary tracks: ESD Test, Failure Analysis, and Systems; Factory, Materials, and ESD Con- trol; and Device, Design, and Technology. Technical Sessions This year's technical sessions feature more than 50 technical papers presented in parallel sessions. Topics covered in these technical sessions will include on- chip physics/modeling; on-chip RF; on-chip latchup; system level ESD, factory and materials; on-chip CMOS; MR heads; and testing, TLP and on-chip standards. The technical sessions begin with a ple- nary speaker, after the awards breakfast Tuesday, September 12. Tutorials and Workshops Symposium week opens officially on Sun- day September 10 with a full day of ESD tutorials. These in-depth, full-day sessions include courses such as ESD Basics, ESD On-Chip Protection, System Level ESD/ EMI, ESD/EMI Systems Testing to IEC Stan- dards, and ESD Program Development and Assessment. Additional tutorials are scheduled for Monday, September 11, and Thursday, September 14. The preliminary tutorial 28 th Annual EOS/ESD Symposium Tucson, Arizona, USA, September 10-15, 2006 schedule reflects approximately 20 ses- sions, including How To's of In-Plant ESD Auditing and Evaluation Measurements, Packaging Principles for the Program Manager, and Air Ionization: Issues and Answers. Some new tutorials have been added to the schedule to help attendees obtain the ESD Professional certifications. In addition to tutorials and technical ses- sions, symposium offers workshops held in panel format to help facilitate greater learning and encourage peer discussions in an interactive workshop setting. Work- shops have included subjects such as on- chip ESD protection, TLP testing, cleanrooms, ESD in magnetic recording, ESD auditing, ESD automated equipment, and system level ESD considerations. Exhibits Attendees will have the opportunity to visit nearly 70 exhibit booths offering ESD con- trol products and services. Beginning the evening of Monday, September 11, through Wednesday, September 13, the exhibit hall will be open to anyone interested in EOS and ESD. Other events Along with the exemplary educational op- portunities, a welcome reception, an awards breakfast, the association lun- cheon lunch in the Exhibit Hall and annual meeting, and a professional and techni- cal women's reception will be held. In ad- dition, symposium offers authors' corners, which provide opportunities for in-depth discussions with authors of this year's technical papers. Also taking place during symposium week are several days of stan- dards meetings, during which the various working groups meet to discuss and de- velop standards documents. A detailed Continued on page 2 Program Manager tutorials The ESD Association has scheduled Pro- gram Manager tutorials in Bloomington, Minnesota, Austin, TX, and Tyngsboro, MA. See page 6 for details. Corporate Membership ESDA Corporate membership not only in- cludes symposium and tutorial registra- tions, but also additional educational units that can be used for other ESDA spon- sored programs throughout the year. See page 5 for more information.