Thursday, February 15, 2007

"Semiconductor Thermal Packaging - the Moving Frontier"

Revolutionary and evolutionary advances in thermal packaging technology have underpinned the continuous improvement in the performance, packaging density, and reliability achieved in solid state electronic products. Rising chip heat fluxes and packaging density, driven by Moore’s Law, have necessitated ever more aggressive cooling techniques, capable of reducing the junction-to-ambient thermal resistance, while meeting the cost, volume, and weight constraints appropriate to each class of electronic equipment. As these needs have escalated, attention has shifted from the external packaging levels towards the module and board level, then the package level, and is today focused on heat removal at the chip level. Current trends suggest that on-chip hot spots will drive the choice of future thermal packaging technology. Applicable thermal management techniques and their potential for hot spot remediation, including thermoelectric microcoolers, anisotropic spreaders/TIMs, and direct cooling with dielectric liquids through thin film evaporation or pool boiling, will be considered.The meeting will be held at Qimonda at 6000 Technology Blvd., Sandston, VA at 5:30 PM. Guests should register at www.ieee.org/richmond.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

EWeek 2007 Just Around the Corner (18-24 Feb.)

IEEE-USA will again play a key role in activities surrounding Engineers Week 2007, 18-24 Feb. Festivities get underway in Washington, D.C., with Discover Engineering Family Day at the National Building Museum on 17 Feb. And IEEE-USA is sponsoring the Best Communications System Award and the essay question for the 15th anniversary of the EWeek Future City Competition in Washington. IEEE-USA also helped with the proposal that led to the IEEE becoming a major sponsor of the new engineering-based PBS television show, Design Squad, which launches during EWeek. Check with your local IEEE Section to see how you can participate in EWeek 2007.

The IEEE Richmond Section will be celebrating Engineers Week 2007at the Richmond Joint Engineers' Council (RJEC) banquet 22 February at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA. The guest speaker at the banquet will be LTG Carl A. Strock, Chief of Engineers and Commanding General U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The IEEE Richmond Section will also be participating in "Career Day" at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond.