Ensuring integrity in new field-programmable grid arrays (FPGAs) means determining the effect of signal artifacts (such as jitter) once considered insignificant. This article describes the development of 40 nm devices, and the test steps and equipment needed to meet stringent specs such as a max permissible bit error rate of 10^-12.

Today's press is full of stories about the nanotech pursuit. To verify the fruits of these labors, however, the question becomes to what criteria do you test? Test criteria that conform to specific standards help ensure device interchangeability. Evaluation Engineering examines the emergence and evolution of such standards.

Experts have predicted the death of in-circuit testing for two decades. The din grew louder with the introduction of ball-grid arrays whose nodes defy a conventional bed of nails. Paraphrasing Mark Twain, reports of ICT's death have been greatly exaggerated. This white paper/case study demonstrates beneficial test techniques.

Finding board plating defects after manufacturing represents only part of the quality battle. To increase yields and reduce costs, you must determine the cause and modify the process to minimize or prevent recurrence. A Printed Circuit Design & Fab article says thorough analysis shows the most likely cause may not be the right one.

Achieving viable levels of alternative energy technology requires cost reduction to compete with fossil fuels. Many industry prognosticators pin their hopes on the photovoltaic cell. Using machine vision to inspect solar panels and individual cells represents a major step because it uses technologies already well-understood.

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Efficient, effective vision inspection depends on camera quality and the speed with which image data can be processed for analysis. The Automated Imaging Association released a version of a promising vision standard, GigE Vision, based gigabit Ethernet. The release supports new pixel formats and offers improved error handling.

Can interconnects carrying signals in today's dense memories perform to the required criteria? Shrinking circuitry reduces error margins that designers exploited in the past. What factors most critically affect interconnect behavior? Solid State Technology explores methods for ensuring that devices achieve the highest yield possible.

Combining electronics and mechanical functionality significantly complicates testing. Nowhere is the challenge more evident than in the electronics found in the heart of today's automobiles. Tech On-Line presents techniques for performing many tests in simulation that help ensure that the final products conform to IEEE standards. [Access to this article may require a short registration.]

You may view losing your job as a traumatic experience. But not everyone sees it that way. Instead of obsessing over the down side of joblessness, why not take advantage of your relative freedom? This piece from The Los Angeles Times examines the other side of the proverbial coin, profiling people who insist that the glass is still half-full. Today's 20 and 30 year olds, still funded by severance, savings, unemployment checks, or their parents seem to enjoy the 'funemployed' world.

If you are going to take your time developing a movie that will exploit the latest technology, you'd better infuse it with technology that doesn't yet exist. Such is the guiding principle behind James Cameron's next project — a 3D movie called Avatar — which received its first press briefing earlier this month. According to insiders, the script took 14 years to develop, and will create the first truly new Universe since Star Wars.

Contact in an Uncertain Future

As devices become more complex, test engineers lament the lack of access to logic nodes for testing and verification. Do your test strategies address these limitations? What steps will you take as technology evolves?