IEEE Develops a New Nanoelectronics Roadmap
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 This spring, IEEE began inviting the public to comment on its Nanoelectronics Standards Roadmap, which establishes a framework for creating standards to help industry transition electronic applications based on nanotechnology from the laboratory to the commercial sector. Cherry Tom, IEEE project initiation manager, discusses why IEEE chose to develop the roadmap and why it’s focusing on nanoelectronics.
Q: What is the significance of the roadmap?
his is one of the few standards roadmaps we believe that are available for nanoelectronics. The intent is that it will identify several key standard development areas that will help nanoelectronics advance beyond the current R&D environment into the commercial environment. Issues that need addressing include nanoelectronics device design and characterization as well as quality in manufacturing.
Q: Why focus on nanoelectronics rather than nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology is so broad, with many people active in that broad spectrum. We thought that because of IEEE’s expertise in electronics and electrical engineering that this would be an area where we could make the most valuable contribution at this time. But we’re interested in every area. There are members in IEEE who are working in those other areas, but this is the one that we thought we could focus on for now for standards.
Q: Is this IEEE’s first foray into nanoelectronics?
No. We have one standard that’s already developed: IEEE 1650™-2005, Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Electrical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes. We also have another project that is under development, IEEE P1690, Standard Methods for the Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes Used as Additives in Bulk Materials.
Q: So you do have some nanotechnology standards?
Yes, those I just mentioned. We took some initial steps in developing nanotechnology standards, but as we thought the industry and markets were growing, we wanted to provide a direction subject to people’s input as to where we felt standards development was needed. We also wanted to see if we could generate interest and participation in standards development. That’s another reason we put forth the roadmap so that we could invite key stakeholders to become involved.
Q: Are you working with other SDOs?
We have an MOU—a memorandum of understanding—with SEMI to support each other’s standards development within our respective organizations. Also, IEEE supported ASTM’s nanotechnology terminology standard. We’re also participating in the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for the ISO TC 229 standards committee and we’re participating in the TAG for a committee in IEC—IEC TC 113. We anticipate sending representatives to the corresponding international meetings. We’re not intending to develop standards in isolation. We want to make sure that we focus our energies on what needs to be done and help out in other groups where we can.
Q: Who is involved in IEEE’s standards development for nanoelectronics?
It’s a mix of experts. Some are instrument manufacturers, who want to make sure there are standard measurements so that they don’t have to reinvent the wheel with use of their instruments. We also have other industry participants such as electronics manufacturers, and we do seek industry participation from around the world. Government labs are another group who provides experts. We want the standards to impact commercialization, so we don’t want it to just remain in an academic community, but we do appreciate the expertise of people who have been working in academia and government to help us make sure we are using the best procedures and practices.
Q: If someone wants to participate, who should they contact?
Me. I’d love that. I’d be asking him or her about particular areas of interest in nanoelectronics to slot them in a particular standards area with other similar-minded people to look at proposing specific standards development projects.
Q: What other work is IEEE doing in nanotechnology?
There’s the IEEE Nanotechnology Council (NTC). Within IEEE, we have a number of societies that focus on particular technical areas of interest to IEEE’s membership, which includes more than 370,000 members from around the world. One area is nanotechnology. The NTC consists of 20 societies that are interested in nanotechnology. Besides sponsoring IEEE nanotechnology standards development, it organizes the annual international IEEE-Nano conference, which was held August 2-5 in Hong Kong this year. Plus, the NTC publishes the IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology and co-publishes the IEEE Transactions on NanoBioscience with the IEEE Engineering and Biology Society. The NTC was established five years ago.
Note: If you are interested in participating in IEEE’s nanoelectronics standardization activities, contact Cherry Tom at c.tom@ieee.org.
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