In the seven YEARS since the first edition of this book was completed, Electrostatic
Discharge (ESD) phenomena in integrated circuits (IC) continues to be important
as technologies shrink and the speed and size of the chips increases. The phenom-
ena related to ESD events in semiconductor devices take place outside the realm of
normal device operation. Hence, the physics governing this behavior are not typ-
ically found in general textbooks on semiconductors.
The goal of this book is to introduce the simulation methods necessary to describe
the behaviour of semiconductor devices during an electrostatic discharge (ESD).
The challenge of this task is the correct description of semiconductor devices under
very high current density and high temperature transients. As it stands, the book
can be no more than a snapshot and a summary of the research in this field
during the past few YEARS. The authors hope that the book will provide the basis
for further development of simulation methods at this current frontier of device
physics.
Since electronic equipment was first developed, static electricity has been a
source of problems for users and designers. In the last few YEARS, however,
electrostatic discharge (ESD) has become a source of major problems. This
has occurred because newer electronic devices, such as integrated circuits,
are much more susceptible to ESD problems than previous devices, such as
vacuum tubes. Another trend compounding this ESD susceptibility problem
is the spread of sophisticated equipment into home and office environments
where ESD is quite common.
Applications of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfabrica-
tion have spread to different fields of engineering and science in recent YEARS.
Perhaps the most exciting development in the application of MEMS technol-
ogy has occurred in the biological and biomedical areas. In addition to key
fluidic components, such as microvalves, pumps, and all kinds of novel
sensors that can be used for biological and biomedical analysis and mea-
surements, many other types of so-called micro total analysis systems (TAS)
have been developed.
Five YEARS have passed since the first edition of this book was published.Over the five YEARS,the
world has witnessed a technological revolution headlined by an array of exciting consumer and
industrial products such as the Nintendo Wii, Apple iPod/iPad, sensor-rich smart phones,
phones with cameras,new operating systems for mobile phones and apps,e-books,WiFi,voice-
over-IP calls, social networking, 3D animated movies, and cloud computing, to name the major
ones that affect everyday living
For more than three decades, Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) have
steadily transitioned out of research labs and into production forming a more than $10 billion
market [1]. MEMS devices such as accelerometers, pressure sensors and microphones, to name
a few, have seen immense utilization, particularly in the consumer electronics market, because
of their compact sizes and minute power consumptions. In addition, these devices benefit from
batch fabrication, which has enabled year-over-year reductions in cost [2]. In recent YEARS,
A few YEARS ago I stood before an audience at a customer’s facility
explaining the merits of micromachining technology. The small
conference room was packed, and all ears were attentive. Everyone was
eager to learn about thismysteriousbuzzword, “MEMS.”Although many
in the audience were nodding in a sign of comprehension, the glazed
lookson their facesbetrayed them. Thisexperience isnot unique, but one
that isrepeated frequently in auditoriumsaround the world.
Over many YEARS, RF-MEMS have been a hot topic in research at the technology
and device level. In particular, various kinds of mechanical Si-MEMS resonators
and piezoelectric BAW (bulk acoustic wave) resonators have been developed. The
BAW technology has made its way to commercial products for passive RF filters,
in particular for duplexers in RF transceiver front ends for cellular communica-
tions. Beyond their use in filters, micromachined resonators can also be used in
conjunction with active devices in innovative circuits and architectures.
The Raspberry Pi has become a computing phenomenon. This single-board miniature
computer, first released in February 2012 by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, has grown into
a series of nearly a dozen models that have sold a total of more than 10 million units in
five YEARS.
Inexpensive to buy and to run, Raspberry Pi computers are great for enthusiasts,
good for games, and fun for children. Raspberry Pi computers are also terrific in the
classroom, enabling you to put on each desk an easily-manageable computer on which
students can do everything from learning Internet use and essential office software skills,
through grasping programming basics in an easy-to-learn format, to performing full-on
programming in Python, Java, C, and other languages. Better yet, you can install all the
software needed for those activities automatically alongside the operating system.
The world of home automation is an exciting field that has exploded over the past
few YEARS with many new technologies in both the commercial and open source
worlds. This book provides a gateway for those interested in learning more about
this topic and building their own projects.
With the introduction of the Raspberry Pi computer in 2012, a small and powerful
tool is now available for the home automation enthusiast, programmer, and electronic
hobbyist. It allows them to augment their home with sensors and software.