Introduction to Silicon Wafers used in Electronics
Silicon wafers are actually semiconductor devices that are heavily used in todays electronics. To some, these micro devices may seem dismissible but they really have important uses in technology. Silicon wafers are primarily used in manufacturing computer chips. Every electronic device that you enjoy these days contains these tiny yet very significant wafers.
Generally, silicon is a good conductor of electricity. If you have it altered, not only will it conduct electricity, you can also make good use of it as an effective insulator. Whats amazing about these sophisticated wafers is that manufacturers only use regular beach sand particles as the main ingredient in the manufacturing process. Everyone knows that sand also acts as a lightning conductor, and the same technology is also utilized in both computer and electronic circuit boards.
The sand used in the wafer manufacturing process is being closely monitored. It must be kept clean at all times, free from any debris. Whenever the manufacturing process is contaminated due to foreign material inclusion, wafers with faulty connections are created. These bad wafers are costly mistakes, thus the manufacturing of silicon wafers must take place in a strictly regulated environment. It must be handled with extreme care by professional and experienced technicians.
Technically, the device can be described as a thin, circular disc mainly used in the semiconductor and integrated circuit manufacturing. There are also other recognized types in the industry like the Gallium Arsenide or the SOI, which is basically silicon on insulator. These are also utilized in electronics, requiring a careful and thorough manufacturing for efficient end products.
Specialized companies that operate a MEMS foundry create these devices. During the manufacturing process of the thin film, the wafers produced can come in various sizes and desired specifications. The composition can include so many components before the fabrication is completed. After this, the finished product is then packaged carefully for distribution.
A special compound is used to clean the finished product. It guarantees consistency so it will not be altered in any way. The cleaner material used is some weak acid adequate enough to remove impurities of any kind. It also takes care of the various issues within the sawing process.
The various sizes in the finished products make up for the different applications, though they are generally determined based on the components mechanical strengths. And even though the sizes vary, these wafers are manufactured in between 100 mm. to about 300 mm. in diameter. These parts and pieces vary in their costs and dependent of course on the size and usage.
The machinery involved in the manufacturing and cutting of these parts can cost a fortune, or likely that of a small factory. Manufacturing and perfecting such small but vital electronic components costs a great deal. There is no other way of going around the process just to save on the manufacturing costs at the least.
All these tiny yet important pieces are integrated in various electronic applications all over the world today. Computer systems are among the obvious benefactors, including mobile phone technology and digital appliances. There is a clear revolution in the world of electronics and silicon wafers are at the forefront, continuously doing wonders for this electronics-dependent world.
The Benefits Of Electronic Commerce
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
Customer care has benefited from various in e-commerce, EC also e-business continue to pay dividends as long as the benefits as reported by e-commerce site.wordpress.com (nd) are still achievable. Reduction in cycle time, staff empowerment and cutomer support are just a few of the benefits. Efraim Turban et al (2008).
CYCLE TIME
The cycle time for an organization refers to the time it takes to complete a transaction; also turn around time, speed of operation etc Internet banking is one of the ways Nigerian banks increase customers satisfaction and cycle time. More transactions are done on the internet, ATMs, POS machines, through patnerships with card companies like MasterCard, Interswitch, VisaCard and the rest of them. It is easy to find all these in almost all Nigerian banks now because the management wants to minimize cost while maximizing profit. Trading equities used to take a very long time before orders can be successfully effected before but can now be done by just one click on the right button in the right website. The same is applicable for purchasing University of Liverpool recommended textbooks. Inputting my mastercard details makes the process of search and final purchase shorter and easy to accomplish for me. EC has brought to the world the likes of ebay, amazon.com and others responsible for online auction. Time is money, so instead of driving all about looking for a shop that stocks what I need to buy, I would rather go to the internet search for it and purchase it immediately.
EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT
Organizations now allow their staff to take certain steps that were not possible without electronic commerce. Booking of Consumer loans used to be on paper before in Oceanic Bank until recently when the bank designed an online procedure that empowers staff to issue more loans per hour. The reason for this is not far fetched; a soft copy consumer loan file needs little or no correction since the already inputted formulas are there to do the correction. Checking the consumer loan can now be done at a very high speed because there are software for testing if the excel file followed the desired procedures or not. With the bank empowering their staff in EC, more value is added because staff now sees themselves as important participants of the bank as well.
Electronic Commerce makes it simple for online tutors to detect malpractices amongst students unlike in offline Universities, where Doctors and Professors have to read the hard copy assignments submitted by various students, there will always be cases where collution and plagiarism will not be detected. Students will surely copy themselves knowing fully well that the instructor might not get to know. This is not the case in an EC committed University where all assignments are submitted online through software like Turnitin and safe assign.
FACILITATE CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Customer support was taken to another level through highly specialized customer relationship management; Norton allayed fears that my monthly internet bill is exorbitant. It all started when my hard drive crashed and I lost a recently purchased Norton antivirus. I was frustrated and had to chat online with customer care representative of Norton through their chat software. As if that was not enough, the agent I spoke with blew my mind when he told me that he was going to install the software into my laptop from his remote location. I thought to myself this must be a joke until I saw my mouse moving and clicking certain menus on my desktop. It was a wonder then, I thought I was looking at a Norton miracle, he put my laptop in order within five minutes and still told me thank you. I replied as many times as possible and fell in love with purchasing my antivirus solutions from Norton because I feel that their EC investments have paid off after all.
CONCLUSION
Every good idea has to develop through changes, the world never stayed in one place. What might be perfect today might be faulty tomorrow, no wonder Polaroid felt comfortable until the digital imaging swept their business away. Holycoast.com (nd) It is very correct to say that EC has come to change the world and it is doing just that real well and fast too. The value of improvement that has met the organizations cannot be overemphasized and thus will continue to draw the attention of other corporations to invest in new ideas, innovations and technologies.
REFERENCES
E-commerce site.wordpress.com (nd), Benefits of E-commerce [Online] Available at: http://ecommercesite.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/reduction-of-cycle-time-improve-employees-empowerment-facilitate-customer-support-through-e-commerce/ (Accessed on 5th July 2009)
Efraim Turban, David King, Judy McKay, Peter Marshall, Jae Lee, Dennis Viehland, (2008) Electronic Commerc – A Managerial Perspecive ISBN 9780135135440 Intl Ed. Pearson Education Ltd. London
Thompson A, Strickland A, & gamble J (2008). Crafting & Executing Strategy: The Quest for competitive advantage, Concept and cases. 16th Ed. Boston: Mcgrraw-Hill Irwin.
[Top]Marine Electronics – The Safest Equipment You Can Get
If you are reading this article then obviously you have a boat and you are planning to surf around the sea, but the imperative measure you should be familiar with is that there are a lot of dangers in the sea which are to be countered by the use of Marine Electronics and there are some parts important for your ride which will also help you enjoy the time at its fullest. GPS units, fish Finders and many other breathtaking gadgets can help you achieve your goals better. The first question that might buzz the newbies is how to start equipping the boat. This article will make all your efforts easier and will enlighten you about outfitting your boat perfectly, giving you critical information about different types of devices.
For those who take their rides out on fishing missions, it is vital to install a fish finder gadget. Fish finder helps the fishermen find the hunt easily while it also assures that the experience remains fun and rewarding. Another installation that is called the automatic identification system (AIT) is also important and should be added before buying the fish finder. These handy tools will help you find boats in a region which is a good helping hand in case of emergencies as it allows you to communicate with the nearby rescuers.
Another must have tool is the GPS device. Most people are familiar with the GPS device and know its importance while travelling through the waves. This gadget uses the satellite technology to show you the exact map location every time where ever you are. This gadget offers the real convenience and can be installed very easily. Those who have a good budget for this kind of system can also buy them with larger displays in order to view a vast area of the part where their boat is travelling while concentrating on every bits and details of different regions.
Depth sounder is another device that every boat should be equipped with. It tells a person the depth of the region where his boat stands. Whether it is a deep lake or fast rivers, the device works perfectly and according to the nature of the area. Using this with fish finder is found to be more helpful and if using one with GPS can help you find your way back to the starting point. All in all, this combo is the perfect one ever experienced.
If you have marine electronics added to your boat, you must have a large display attached with them because you don’t want to ruin your trip looking on a tiny screen for a region or depth. If the weather goes wrong or does not agree with your plans you can land into hassles with a small screen. An eight inch should be considered as the minimal standard.
Making your boat outfitted with these useful marine electronics is not a bad idea at all but is also necessary for your own safety, these gadgets will help you in a lot of ways and you will feel the pure joy of driving the boat, fishing and other related activities. You should beyond doubt install them before pushing your ride off the shores.
[Top]Electronic Gadgets
Electronic devices ranging from cell phones to PDAs are very much a part of our homes now as our chairs and tables. MP3 players are one of the most popular portable music gadgets available. Despite their compact size, they are capable of holding hundreds of songs within just a few gigabytes of space.
Electronic gadgets refers to any electronic device that has a very specific function like voice recording, music playing, video playing, photo displaying, surveillance, etc. Electronic devices ranging from cell phones to PDAs are very much a part of our homes now as our chairs and tables.
Audio electronic gadgets enable one to listen to music. MP3 players are one of the most popular portable music gadgets available. Despite their compact size, they are capable of holding hundreds of songs within just a few gigabytes of space. iPods are perfect gadgets for enjoying ones music personally. They provide quality music output and efficient recording functions. They also feature other options like FM radio, E-book functions and voice recording. Video electronic gadgets enable you to watch your favourite videos and display your personal photos as well. MP4 player is a smart gadget that allows one to watch movies, video clips, personal recordings and also play games to keep one entertained thoroughly in many a ways.
Market trends show that the electronic gadgets have captured most of the market share around the globe where the percentage of entertainment and communication gadgets like game consoles, iPods and mobile phones are at a peak. Due to the advancement in computer technology and development in electronics sector over the past years, theres a rise in usage and popularity of the various electronic gadgets. The gadgets that became quite popular once they were introduced into the market are iPods, digicams, cell phones and laptops just to name a few. These gadgets keep getting updated with time and new ones are introduced to meet the needs, demands and expectations of todays gadget friendly customers.
Electronic gadgets have seen a rise almost everywhere. Ranging from Mp3 Players to digital cameras theres a list thats just too long and meets ones day to day requirements most efficiently. If one wishes to get the very best electronic gadgets of great value, buying it online is one of the safest bet. There are numerous benefits to buy these electronic gadgets online as one can be updated about the product with complete details about it over the internet. Internet offers the wealth of information that keeps constantly getting refreshed with new, updated content. One can read the reviews of the product and search various sites to get a better view of the product and make a sensible purchase decision. Buying online also provides one with the most sought after reason behind every purchase and that is to compare the product price of one brand with the other and that too at the comfort of ones home.
Cell phones have become an integral part of day to day functioning of almost anyone nowadays. New technology on the other hand has expanded the usage of these useful communication devices to fun and entertainment tools by providing them with built in cameras, internet capability and video gaming even. There also are lots of electronic gadgets that come quite handy for use inside ones kitchen to help prepare food in an easier and efficient manner. Other types of electronic gadgets available in the market include: gaming devices, electronic organizers, massagers and fun novelty items. While some of these items may not be that essential for every day usage but they can be required to keep one busy and entertained in times of boredom as well as prove quite useful at times of personal need too.
[Top]Basic Laws Of Electronics
Thanks to the physical laws of electronics, circuit analysis is very procedural. This is the second entry in a tutorial in basic electronics. The first entry covered basic electronic concepts such as voltage, current, and power. This session will cover Ohm’s Law, and Kirchhoff’s Laws of voltage and current. These are the fundamental laws needed for circuit analysis and design.
Resistors and Ohm’s Law
Georg Simon Ohm was a German physicist that in 1826 experimentally determined most basic laws that relate to voltage and current for a resistor.
Ohm’s law basically states that the resistance of a component (commonly a resistor) is equal to the voltage dropped over the resistor divided by the current going through it.
This law makes it relatively easy to find one of three values: voltage across a resistance, the resistance value itself, or the current flowing through the resistance (as long as the other two values are known).
Nodes, Branches, and Loops
These three concepts must be understood for basic circuit analysis. They help determine if components are in series or parallel and if the components share the same current or have the same voltage drops.
A branch represents a single circuit component such as a resistor or voltage source.
A node is a point where two or more branches connect.
A loop is any closed path in a circuit.
Elements are in series if they exclusively share a single node. Elements that are in series share the same current.
Elements are in parallel if they are connected to the same two nodes. Elements in parallel have the same voltage across them.
Kirchhoff’s Laws
The first of Kirchhoff’s Laws is Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL). This law states that the sum of all current entering a node or enclosed area of a circuit is equal to zero. Simply put, current entering a node or area equals the current leaving the node or area.
The second of Kirchhoff’s Laws is Kirchhoff’s voltage law (KVL). This law states that the sum of all voltages around a closed path or loop is equal to zero. Simply put, the sum of voltage drops equals the sum of voltage rises.
This is found by following the loop in one direction (the direction does not matter). If the positive terminal is hit first, the voltage is added. If the negative terminal is hit first, the voltage is subtracted. Together these values will equal zero.
Once all of the voltages are found, we can start the loop anywhere we want. I find it convenient to start at the negative terminal of a main voltage source. Since we hit a negative terminal first, we subtract it. Now we simply finish the loop and add the voltages together.
This law comes in very handy for analysis.
Basic DC Analysis
By combining Kirchhoff’s voltage and current laws, basic DC circuits are relatively easy to analyze. Knowing that all voltages in a loop add up to zero and all currents entering a node, minus currents leaving a node also equals zero, most current and voltage values can be easily obtained.
If a loop contains one voltage source and multiple resistances, voltage division (eq. 1) should be used to find the value of voltage drops across the known resistances. Once the voltage across the known resistance is found, Ohm’s law (eq. 2) can be used to determine the current flowing through the resistance.
Eq.1 Voltage Division:
((voltage source in volts) (resistor of interest in ohms))/(sum of resistance in loop)
Eq.2 Ohm’s Law:
(voltage across a resistance) = (known resistance)(current flowing through resistance)
Keep in mind that resistors in series can be added to give total resistance between two nodes. The total resistance between two nodes that have resistors in parallel is found using eq. 3 below.
Eq. 3 Equivalent Resistance (Req) of Resistors in parallel:
Req = ((resistance in branch 1)(resistance in branch 2)) / (sum of resistances in both branches)
There is much more to be said about DC circuit analysis but most would go beyond the scope of this article. The purpose of this article is to give a basic understanding of the laws and concepts of basic electronics.
Other concepts that make DC circuit analysis easier are current division, mesh analysis, and nodal analysis. These techniques use the rules behind KVL, KCL, and Ohm’s Law but would require a visual example for thorough explanation.
I hope that this short tutorial has been helpful to anyone who is new to the world of electronics either as a hobbyist or as a technician trying to learn electronics repair.
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