Useful URLs

By Stan Silvus (stan.silvus@swri.org)

Reference Material

www.matls.com
MatWeb is a large database listing composition as well as mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of numerous metals, alloys, and polymers.

www2.hazard.com/msds/index.php
This site offers a comprehensive database of Material Safety Data Sheets.

http://www.sematech.org/docubase
SEMATECH offers numerous articles on a variety of semiconductor-device manufacturing topics. This specific URL points to a high-level topical index that has links to multiple lists of downloadable articles. Topics of particular interest to EDFAS members include Failure Analysis, Environment, Safety and Health, Materials, Modeling and Simulation, Packaging, Quality and Reliability Engineering, Statistical Methods, and Test. (Submitted by Chuck Hawkins, Sandia National Laboratories)

www.nssn.org
This site provides a search engine for standards and related types of documents. You can search by document number, document title, document developer, keywords, or combinations thereof. If you find what you want, there are usually links to the document developer's web site, and in many cases, you can download or purchase a copy on line.

http://www.refdesk.com
As its name implies, RefDesk.com is a starting-point source for a wide variety of general information. The home page has hundreds of topic-organized links to other sites that provide more detailed reference information.

www.yourdictionary.com
Dictionaries, dictionaries, and more dictionaries -- more than 400. Not only are there English dictionaries, but there are numerous foreign-language and language-to-language conversion dictionaries. In addition, there are several specialized dictionaries for such topics as business, law, medicine, and computing. There are also rhyming dictionaries and dictionaries of synonyms and acronyms. Last, but not least, there is a thesaurus.

http://mtlweb.mit.edu/semisubway
Semiconductor Subway is maintained by the MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratories in an effort to foster education and communication in microsystems and semiconductor technology. The key feature of the home page is a subway-like map on which each "stop" is a link to a semiconductor-related site. Many universities, vendors, foundries, and other information sources are included among the links. (Submitted by Dick Ross, IBM Microelectronics)

www.alcyone.com/max/physics/laws/index.html
The Laws List contains short descriptions of numerous scientific principles, laws, rules, and effects with definitions and, sometimes, equations. Some errors have been detected, so use this site with caution; however, an e-mail to the compiler of this list pointing out the error and giving the correct information brings quick corrections.

www.presentersuniversity.com
Sponsored by a manufacturer of multimedia projectors, this site provides a variety of materials and services that are useful to people who prepare visual aids for presentations. PowerPoint® templates, clip art, links to sources of quotations, and an "ask-the-professor" feature are available on this site. Although most of the PowerPoint® templates are not acceptable for technical-symposium (i.e., ISTFA) use, they may be useful for promotional and reporting presentations.

www.aegisbooks.com/
Did your secretary ever leave you a phone message with only an unrecognized name and phone number? Would you like to find out where the caller is located? This URL takes you to a site from which you can download a free, periodically updated, color area code map of the United States and Canada.

www.corporatetravelsafety.com
Lots of tips and links related to travel safety and convenience are available on this web site. For example, there are ideas for preventing theft of laptop computers and credit cards, as well as numerous suggestions for traveling in foreign countries. Also included is a list of worldwide airport codes to help you determine whether you and your baggage are headed to the same place.

http://www.chipcenter.com
Not only does Chip Center offer an extensive on-line catalog of electronic components, it also provides technical information and links to other sources of component-related information.

www.citilink.com/~lbolton/engineer.htm
Component and Electrical Engineer's Data Link Library provides links to numerous manufacturers of semiconductor and passive components, as well as to selected sources of information that is potentially useful to failure analysts. (Submitted by Rod Lord, Southwest Research Institute)

Simulations

www.williamson-labs.com
Want to see a lot of informative and entertaining animations related to basic electrical principles? Then, try the Williamson Labs web site. While you are there, check out the information and animated illustrations relating to other physical phenomena and the links to a wide variety of interesting web sites. (Submitted by Dick Ross, IBM Microelectronics)

micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniques/index.html
This site, hosted by Florida State University, has extensive illustrated tutorials on optical microscopy and photomicrography. Additionally, it has a neat interactive virtual microscope in which the viewer can change such parameters as focus, aperture, etc. and see the effects on screen. Finally, there is a photo gallery that includes such relevant categories as Silicon Zoo and Chip Shots. (Submitted by Chuck Hawkins, Sandia National Laboratories)

Useful Tools

http://www.martindalecenter.com/Calculators.html
Martindale's Reference Desk Calculators On-Line Center provides links to almost 10,000 on-line calculators. Applications for home, business, finance, mathematics, statistics, science, chemistry, physics, astrophysics, computers, and engineering are included. Note that this URL is case sensitive, so be sure to type the capital letters as shown.

www.ex.ac.uk/cimt/dictunit/dictunit.htm
If you are faced with converting barleycorns to perches, you need this site. In addition to providing conversion factors for many obscure units of measure, this site also addresses the more mundane unit conversions that many failure analysts frequently encounter. Included on this site are definitions of units, lists of conversion factors, and calculators that do a lot of the work for you.

www.onlineconversion.com
In addition to converters for traditional engineering units of measure, this site offers calculators for other interesting things: e.g., converting between number-system bases, solving mathematical expressions, estimating armor penetration, working with Roman numerals, translating phrases into Pig Latin, and finding the day that you can retire. (Submitted by Carla Sly, ASM International)

www.megaconverter.com
The Megaconverter web site offers conversions between units of measure. Two methods are provided for selecting the types of units to be converted: a conventional drop-down list and an unconventional dial. One of the available headings is "Zillions;" check it out!

www.integrals.com
Mathematica® provides The Integrator - type in an integrand, and receive the indefinite integral.


Tutorials

www.oxford-instruments.com/
Oxford Instruments' web site includes tutorials on energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX or EDS), wavelength-dispersive (WDS), and electron-backscatter diffraction (EBSD) microanalysis techniques. As you might expect, the site also includes product information.

www.chembio.uoguelph.ca/educmat/chm729/afm/firstpag.htm
This URL points to an extensive tutorial on atomic-force microscopy - theory to applications. (Submitted by Chuck Hawkins, Sandia National Laboratories)

www.esda.org/aboutesd.html
A tutorial on electrostatic discharge (ESD) theory and control is provided on the Electrostatic Discharge Society's web site.

www.weibull.com/AccelTestWeb/acceltestweb.htm
www.weibull.com/AccelTestWeb/ipl_and_coffin_manson_relationship.htm The first URL accesses an on-line reference that presents underlying theory and principles, relevant calculations and derivations, and practical examples related to accelerated life testing. The second URL points to a page of this site that deals with the inverse power law and, in particular, the Coffin-Manson relationship. (Submitted by Ron Albright, Lockheed Martin)

physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/index.html
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) offers an on-line tutorial on the International System of Units (SI). Among the topics discussed are definitions of units and rules for their use. Also included are a bibliography and links to on-line unit-conversion calculators.

www.faradnet.com/index/toc.htm
FaradNet provides an extensive treatise on aluminum electrolytic capacitors; it also includes a long list of relevant literature references.


Industry News

www.apmag.com
Advanced Packaging, a free magazine, provides current information on developments and technological advances in semiconductor and electronic packaging. (Submitted by Carla Sly, ASM International)

www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/business/columnists/gmsv
Each morning, Good Morning Silicon Valley presents one-paragraph summaries of a dozen or so important technical news stories from the San Jose, CA, Mercury. (Submitted by Carla Sly, ASM International)

www.solid-state.com
This searchable on-line version of Solid State Technology magazine is free to subscribers.

Organizations

www.edfas.org
If you are reading this, you probably already know about the Electronic Device Failure Analysis Society (EDFAS). Of course, EDFAS is THE society for failure analysts, and if you are a failure analyst and not presently a member, you should join immediately. The annual dues are reasonable, and key benefits of membership include the quarterly magazine, Electronic Device Failure Analysis, and reduced registration fees at the International Symposium of Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA).

www.cesoc.org
The Component Engineering Society of Orange County, California, provides a web site that contains numerous links to component suppliers; included in the link list are companies that design, manufacture, test, and sell electronic, mechanical, and electromechanical components. Most of the companies listed are located in Southern California. (Submitted by Rod Lord, Southwest Research Institute)

www.esda.org
The Electrostatic Discharge Association sponsors the annual Electrical Overstress/Electrostatic Discharge (EOS/ESD) Symposium. Additionally, this organization offers a variety of publications and educational opportunities.

www.fsa.org
The Fabless Semiconductor Association web site provides industry news, reports, and directories, as well as links to related web sites (e.g., funding sources, industrial associations, etc.).

www.esdsiva.org
Silicon Valley EOS/ESD Society is a nonprofit organization serving northern California. The site includes numerous links to professional and technical societies, standards organizations, universities in the Silicon Valley area, and other sources of information relating to electrical overstress and electrostatic discharge. (Submitted by Silicon Valley EOS/ESD Society)


Conferences, Symposia, and Short Courses

www.edfas.org/istfa
The annual International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA), usually held in the fall, is the premiere gathering place for failure analysts to exchange ideas. In addition to technical papers on a variety of relevant topics, the symposium includes user groups, tutorial seminars, and vendor exhibits.

www.cti-us.com
The special-emphasis Capacitor and Resistor Technology Symposium (CARTS) offers papers and associated tutorials. Information useful to component engineers and passive-component failure analysts is discussed. A European version of this symposium is also presented.

www.esda.org/symposia.html
The annual Electrical-Overstress/Electrostatic-Discharge (EOS/ESD) Symposium is usually held in the fall. Papers, tutorials, workshops, and vendor exhibits relate, appropriately, to electronic-component damage caused by electrical overstress and electrostatic discharge.

www.iirw.org/
The International Integrated Reliability Workshop is held annually in the fall, usually at a resort site. Featured are discussion groups, technical presentations, and special-interest groups related to reliability in semiconductor applications.

www.irps.org
The International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS) is normally held in the spring at varying locations. Technical papers deal with the physics of failure mechanisms in semiconductor devices.

www.itctestweek.org
The annual International Test Conference (ITC) is typically held in the fall with tutorials before and test workshops after the technical conference.

www.pittcon.org
The Pittsburgh Conference (PITTCON) is a very large symposium related primarily to analytical chemistry. The vendor-exhibit area typically has more than 5000 booths. Usually, all of the SEM and EDX manufacturers exhibit at this spring conference.

www.semitracks.com
Semitracks, Inc., provides a variety of short courses related to semiconductor device reliability and failure analysis.

www-mep.unm.edu
You will find course offerings available worldwide from the University of New Mexico using an "experts from industry" style. (Submitted by Chuck Hawkins, University of New Mexico)

Companies

www.acoustech-inc.com
AcousTech, Inc. is a service laboratory offering acoustic microimaging and x-ray services. The web site contains sample images and technical resources of interest. (Submitted by Kerry Oren, AcousTech, Inc.)

www.alliedhightech.com
Allied High Tech Products offers a variety of products and equipment for precision sample preparation. In addition to product information, this site has a knowledge-base section that includes a photo gallery and links to numerous materials-related societies and organizations (including EDFAS).

www.bridgetec.com
Bridge Technology represents a number of manufacturers of equipment used in failure-analysis laboratories. (Submitted by Bridge Technology)

www.buehler.com
Buehler is a source of equipment and supplies for cross sectioning.

www.fatbrain.com
Fatbrain.com is a division of Barnes and Noble that offers on-line sales of professional and technical books.

www.itemsoft.com
Item Software offers software solutions in the reliability, availability, maintainability, safety, and quality-assurance fields. Products include software for performing MIL-HDBK-217, Telcordia, and mechanical reliability predictions, failure-mode effects and criticality analysis (FMECA), fault-tree analysis, and maintainability analysis. (Submitted by Item Software)

www.leco.com
Leco is a source of equipment and supplies for cross sectioning.

www.neocera.com
The Neocera site features the company's products including a scanning SQUID (superconducting quantum interference detector) microscope that is sensitive to low-strength magnetic fields such as those surrounding current-carrying conductors on a circuit board or integrated circuit. (Submitted by Chuck Hawkins, Sandia National Laboratories)

www.ors-labs.com
Oneida Research Services is a research laboratory offering a variety of analytical techniques for maintaining and improving microelectronic-component quality. (Submitted by Oneida Research Services)

www.southbaytech.com
South Bay Technology is a supplier of cutting equipment and consumables for failure analysis. (Submitted by Carla Sly, ASM International)

www.failureanalysis.swri.org
Southwest Research Institute is a large, independent, not-for-profit contract research organization. Buried deep within this organization is a small group that specializes in independent failure analysis of passive electronic and electrical components, discrete semiconductor devices, and low-to-medium-density integrated circuits.

www.struers.com
Struers is a source of equipment and supplies for cross sectioning.

www.ukam.com
UKAM Industrial Superhard Tools manufactures precision diamond slicing, dicing, and wafering blades, core drills, and accessories. (Submitted by UKAM Industrial Superhard Tools)

General Interest

www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.html
A transcript of Richard Feynman's 1959 talk entitled, "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom - An Invitation to Enter a New Field of Physics," is presented on this web page. In effect, Feynman predicted some of today's state-of-the-art achievements - high-density microprocessor integrated circuits, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), etc. Moreover, he urges engineers and scientists to keep rumaging around in the area of very small things with the goals of developing new and smaller devices and methods for manufacturing them. (Submitted by Chuck Hawkins, University of New Mexico)

www.amc.anl.gov
The Argonne National Laboratory Microscopy and Microanalysis site provides near-real-time viewing of a research microscopy laboratory. Also, images of a variety of objects may be selected for viewing. There are some on-line calculators that may be of interest to failure analysts. (Submitted by Rich Anderson and Chris Henderson, Sandia National Laboratories)

www2.eng.cam.ac.uk/~bcb/semhist.htm
When and by whom was the scanning-electron microscope developed? Find answers to these questions and more in the historical papers offered on this web site.

www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk:80/~history/Curves/Curves.html
The Famous Curves site shows equations, graphs, and other properties of named mathematical curves ranging from the Astroid to the Witch of Agnesi. Effects of parameters on curve shapes may be viewed on-line.

www.time.gov
If you need to know the current time within a few tenths of a second, log on to this web site sponsored by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This site also has a link to a useful free program that synchronizes the clock in your personal computer with NIST time. (Submitted by Chuck Hawkins, University of New Mexico)

www.lightningtech.com/f_sets/faq.html
Everything you ever wanted to know about lightning. (Submitted by Chuck Hawkins, Sandia National Laboratories)

www.advances.net
This URL opens a neat Internet Control Pad that has button links to several popular search engines and to sources of useful information that include calculators, mail and shipping services, reference sources, archives (e.g., photos, clip art, fonts, etc.), games, weather information, and much more.