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Microelectronics uses tiny components to produce electronic devices. Research, reliability, and production are the main areas of interest. Universities conduct research on making smaller components and their possibilities. Reliability is important in the medical and financial sectors. Design for manufacturing focuses on ensuring components can be placed on circuit boards using machines called SMT. Automation makes manufacturing more efficient and reduces costs.
Microelectronics is a field of electronics that uses tiny components, or micros, to produce electronic components. As the demand for smaller, less expensive devices grows, the field continues to expand. The main areas of interest are generally research, reliability and production.
Typically, microelectronics begins with an integrated microelectronic circuit which is a collection of electrical components connected together. The most common components are transistors, resistors, capacitors and diodes. Transistors turn electricity on and off, similar to a switch. Resistors control the amount of electricity flowing through the current like the volume control on a television. Capacitors concentrate electricity for use all at once and diodes direct when the electricity will be used.
Many large universities in the US conduct research on microelectronics. Most studies are both about how to make smaller components, such as transistors and capacitors, and what the possibilities are for smaller components. Georgia Tech specializes in medical components such as surgical instruments and imaging. The state of Iowa specializes in industrial uses for microelectronics, such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Microelectronics reliability is another area of focused efforts. Since computers are involved in most activities, equipment reliability is usually a top priority. This is especially important in the medical field, where tiny robotic tools are now replacing the doctor’s hands in surgery. Using a robotic hand and following a video screen, the doctor is able to perform operations through a small laparoscopic incision instead of opening the patient’s entire cavity.
Another sector that requires a high degree of reliability is the financial sector. With more and more data required, previously it was not possible to keep up with the amount of disk space required. With improvements in electronics, however, what once filled entire rooms with mainframe computers can now be stored on a few small portable devices.
A final area of emphasis is design for manufacturing. In terms of microelectronics, a lot of work has gone into ensuring that the various components can actually be placed on circuit boards. The small size of the components used to produce microelectronics are typically too small for humans to efficiently solder on printed circuit boards.
Machines called surface mount technology (SMT) machines use robotics to position each component. Thousands of components can be placed per hour using these machines. A program is loaded into the machine which has a specific spot on each circuit board where the components are to be placed. The program controls where the robotic arms place each part. This automation typically makes the entire manufacturing process more efficient, while also reducing overall costs.
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