Printed Circuit Design & Fab - March 2008 - (Page 10)

AROUND THE WORLD RECESSION SUPPRESSION Promote Innovation to Jumpstart Economy, Say Industry Associations SAN JOSE, CA – Eight high-tech industry associations have proposed a stimulus package for the slowing American economy. The associations include SEMI, TechNet, Information Technology Industry Council, AeA and the Semiconductor Industry Association. In a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), the associations state their concern that current efforts focus on consumer spending and fail to address some of the fundamental challenges facing our economy. In letters to the White House and the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the associations urge policymakers to focus on fundamental challenges facing our economy, in addition to the consumer portion of the stimulus package. In part, the letter states, “If we are to jumpstart our economy and get it back on the road to recovery, we will need more than a new battery and another tank of gas. We will need a new engine, and the best way to do that is by unleashing the American spirit of innovation and creativity. The associations propose four recommendations to promote innovation: 1. The U.S. should increase its efforts in research and development. To retain an innovative edge in the world economy, the associations want the U.S. to commit significant resources to R&D. However, the R&D tax credit expired on Dec. 31. The letter proposes Congress enact a multi-year extension of a strengthened R&D tax credit and provide funding of basic R&D at the levels passed by Congress in early December. 2. The U.S. should direct the benefits of technology on two major US challenges: health care and the environment. The letter calls for bold tax incentives to help stimulate new environmental breakthroughs and encourage consumers and businesses to purchase energy saving products and save on energy costs. It suggests similar incentives should be enacted to allow doctors, healthcare facilities, and healthcare networks to invest in interoperable health IT equipment. 3. The U.S must commit to developing and attracting the brightest minds glob- ally. The associations want to ensure that every American student pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering or math has the necessary grant and loan incentives to graduate and enter the workforce. In addition, high-skill immigration reform is needed so that U.S. educated, foreign-born students in these STEM fields can stay in the U.S. 4. The U.S. needs to reinvest in itself. According to the proposal, Congress should pass a short-term Investment Tax Credit targeted toward information and communications technology equipment. This tax credit would help banks, small businesses, retailers, and other businesses maintain investments in computers, and help high-tech manufacturers maintain investments needed to keep their factories up-to-date. The associations believe these recommendations will have an immediate impact in 2008 and 2009. They state, in the long-term, a decade of economic research demonstrates that the U.S. can boost long-term economic growth by stimulating the development and adoption of new technologies. in BRIEF DDi Receives Boeing Performance Award. DDi Corp. has been selected as a recipient of a Boeing Performance Excellence Award for 2007 The Boeing Company presents . Performance Excellence Awards annually to recognize superior performance by its suppliers. “DDi is thrilled to receive recognition of supplier excellence from such a valued customer as The Boeing Company, ” stated Mikel H. Williams, President and CEO of DDi. “This award is a reflection of DDi’s dedication to serving the needs of Boeing and our other valued customers. ” FUBA and MFS Team Up. PCB fabricator FUBA Printed Circuits GmbH will offer flexible PCBs through a cooperative agreement with partner MFS Technology Pte Ltd. located in Singapore. Under the terms of the agreement, MFS has granted FUBA exclusive territories in Europe. Andreas Ebeling, General Manager of FUBA said, “Automotive electronics offer large sales opportunities for flexible PCBs. FUBA and MFS will cooperate ” very closely in technology and will develop the flex PCB business in Germany. Atotech, U of Albany Launch R&D Partnership ALBANY, NY – Atotech will conduct R&D in copper-plating technology as part of a $5 million program being launched in partnership with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany. A team of Atotech researchers, led by VP of Semiconductor Technology Robert Preisser, will be located at CNSE’s NanoTech Complex as part of the program, which focuses on the development of copper deposition technologies used in device structures. R&D activities will target chemistry development, mode of operation and analytical techniques, as well as online technologies for computer chip, chemical and biological sensors, and biochips for medical applications. Atotech will provide international support to CNSE through its operations in Berlin and Yokohama, Japan. The company will also fund two fellowships for students at CNSE. “This program will play a critical role in Atotech’s push to develop and refine next-generation copper-plating technology to be used in the fabrication of nanoelectronics devices”, said Preisser Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, VP and CAO of CNSE, said, “It is a pleasure to welcome still another global corporate leader to the growing list of leading hightech companies at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex.” The agreement between Atotech and CNSE includes the possibility of future R&D initiatives, which may involve the location of additional Atotech personnel at CNSE. 10 PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB MARCH 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Printed Circuit Design & Fab - March 2008

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - March 2008 Contents Our Line Market Watch Around the World Happenings ROI EMC for the Real World Positive Plating FPGA/PCB Co-design Increases Fabrication Yields Optoelectronics Comes of Age, Part 2 Implementation of Buried Capacitance in High-Speed Designs Ad Index Improved Innerlayer Bonding for Sequential Lamination Off the Shelf Marketplace BGA Bulletin

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - March 2008

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