IEEE Career Focus: Semiconductors

By John R. Platt Statistically speaking, quite a few of the people reading this article are probably doing so on new tablet computers that they picked up or received over the holidays. Those tablets — which didn't exist just a few years ago — would not be possible without the semiconductor industry. At the same time, the growth of the modern semiconductor industry has been fueled by the rapid development of new technologies — tablets, smartphones, and hundreds of other connected devices — that can be found in almost every facet of our daily lives. After an off year in 2012, the semiconductor industry is expected to grow 4.5% in 2013 to $303 billion, according to recent projections from World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS). With that growth the industry also has a tremendous need for new employees. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, nearly a quarter of a million people in the U.S. alone are employed by the semiconductor industry, and that number is growing three times faster than the rest of the U.S. economy.

Posted January 2013

Innovative Power Products (IPP) Baluns & Transformers - RF Cafe

RF Cafe began life in 1996 as "RF Tools" in an AOL screen name web space totaling 2 MB. Its primary purpose was to provide me with ready access to commonly needed formulas and reference material while performing my work as an RF system and circuit design engineer. The World Wide Web (Internet) was largely an unknown entity at the time and bandwidth was a scarce commodity. Dial-up modems blazed along at 14.4 kbps while tying up your telephone line, and a lady's voice announced "You've Got Mail" when a new message arrived...