News Article
SRC Honours Berkeley & MIT For Advancing Chip Technology
The university-research consortium Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), has announced its awards recognising outstanding professors in SRC-supported, chip-related research and education for 2012.
Dr. Andrew Neureuther, professor emeritus of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at University of California, Berkeley, is the recipient of this year's SRC Aristotle Award for outstanding teaching and a deep commitment to the educational experience of his students. With SRC support, Neureuther's UC Berkeley research team has pioneered modelling and simulation of integrated circuit processing as well as the use of the resulting tools to explore innovation and manufacturing issues in emerging technologies.
In addition, Dr. Jesus del Alamo, professor of Electrical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is the recipient of the SRC Technical Excellence Award for his SRC-funded work advancing silicon and compound semiconductor transistor technologies for RF, microwave and millimetre wave applications.
Selected by SRC's twelve member companies and the SRC staff, the award-winning faculty and research teams are honoured for their exemplary impact on semiconductor productivity through cultivation of technology and talent.
The awards were formally presented on September 10th in Austin, Texas, during SRC's annual TECHCON technology conference at which the latest results of SRC-funded research are shared among hundreds of university students, faculty and industry experts.
"Advanced research has been instrumental in propelling the semiconductor industry forward, and we are recognising these valuable researchers and their teams for the critical work they have performed in helping the industry achieve technological triumphs," says SRC President Larry Sumney.
The scope and impact of Neureuther's research includes models for chemically amplified imaging materials (STORM); simulation of optical, electron, ion beam and x-ray lithography (SAMPLE); assessment of residual effects of defects and lens aberrations (SPLAT); electromagnetic scattering (TEMPEST); time-evolution of topography (SAMPLE3), fast-CAD kernel convolution with layout (Pattern -Matcher); environments for integrating simulators with process flow (SIMPL, PROSE); and remote web-based simulation (LAVA).
"SRC brought enthusiastic technologists and semiconductor manufacturing challenges to universities that attracted and motivated good students whose research has benefitted all of us in our daily lives," comments Neureuther.
Dr. del Alamo's research includes the fabrication of nanometre-scale transistors with word-record high frequency operation, as well as the investigation of the use of III-V compound semiconductors to enable a new generation of deeply scaled transistors for future digital applications.
"I am deeply honoured by this recognition that comes from an institution that has done so much to foster progress in semiconductor science and technology," says del Alamo. "It is a thrill to be part of this community and to work with smart and dedicated students and supporting colleagues in pushing forward the microelectronics revolution. The partnerships between university and academia that the SRC creates and nurtures are critical elements of a healthy microelectronics ecosystem."
TECHCON brings together the brightest minds in microelectronics research to exchange news about the progress of new materials and processes created by SRC's network of more than 100 of the top engineering universities. Students and industry leaders discuss basic research that is intended to accelerate advancements for both private and public entities.
The presentation of the Aristotle and Technical Excellence awards at TECHCON reflects the purpose of the event, which is to enable future generations of chip technology.
The Aristotle Award is given to SRC-funded university faculty that have profoundly and continuously impacted their students' professional performances in a way that provides long-term benefit to the SRC member companies.
The Technical Excellence Award recognises researchers who have made key contributions to technologies that significantly enhance the productivity of the semiconductor industry.
More than 9,000 students have been prepared by SRC programs, professors and mentors for entry into the semiconductor business. These students provide a path for technology transfer and a source of relevantly educated technical talent for the industry.
