NEWARK, N.J. Oct. 29, 2004 --
WHEN Bell Telephone Laboratories unveiled Beam-Lead Technology forty years ago it revolutionized reliability in ultra-high-speed microelectronics with systems that seemingly operated forever without any device failures.
The development team was led by Martin P. Lepselter, who presented seminal work on beam-lead devices and integrated circuits at the Electron Devices Meeting on October 29, 1964, in Washington, D.C.
Lepselter, a member of the prestigious National Academy of Engineers, recalled, "We created beam-lead technology, also known as air-bridge technology, for unsurpassed reliability in high-frequency silicon switching transistors and ultra-high-speed integrated circuits for telecommunications and missile systems."
N. M. Ravindra, co-founder of the Microelectronics Research Center at NJIT, explained the importance of this milestone anniversary. "Beam-lead technology required inventing the whole new field of silicon micro-machining, which is now our indispensable workhorse in MEMS."
An acronym for Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems, MEMS is used to make microstructures in silicon wafers that can include tiny movable parts. Beam lead technology is central to microwave electronics, for example, and MEMS is used to make such diverse products as ink-jet print heads and projection high-definition televisions.
Expertise in MEMS at NJIT was tapped a few years ago to prototype movable mirror devices for optical switches.
Ravindra commented, "We salute Martin Lepselter at this anniversary of beam leads with appreciation for the breadth of his pioneering achievements.
We are indeed honored to recognize his association with NJIT on this occasion."
Lepselter remains active in developing novel electronics and video display technologies through his Summit, N.J., think tank, BTL Fellows, and his role as distinguished physicist at NJIT.
Original Air Isolated Integrated Circuits
MEMS Fabrication Process in Silicon Wafer
Top view of 4 input DCTL gate :
Bottom view of 4 input DCTL gate :
Beam-Lead Devices and Integrated Circuits
by M. P. Lepselter, H. A. Waggener, R. W. MacDonald, and R. E. Davis
Proceedings of the IEEE, VOL. 53, NO. 4, APRIL, 1965, pp. 405.
