This issue of ECS Transactions features eight invited and sixty-seven regular papers on technology, devices, systems, optoelectronics, modeling and characterization; all either directly or indirectly related to microelectronics. The topics presented herein reveal the multidisciplinary character of this field, which definitely incites the highly cooperative trace of human nature.

Held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from September 6 - September 9, 2010, the mission of the 25th Symposium on Microelectronics Technology and Devices ¿ SBMicro2010 was to share ideas and to point to new directions for future research and development. SBMicro offers researchers and practitioners a unique opportunity to share their perspectives with those interested in the various aspects of microelectronics. This issue of ECS Transactions continues the SBMicro tradition of being a premier forum for the presentation of leading edge research on process, devices, sensors and integrated circuit technology.

The SBMicro symposium is a forum dedicated to fabrication and modeling of microsystems, integrated circuits and devices. The goal of the symposium is to bring together researchers in the areas of processing, materials, characterization, modeling and TCAD of integrated circuits, microsensors, microactuators and MEMS. This issue of ECS Transactions contains the papers presented at the 2008 conference.

ISTC/CSTIC is an annual semiconductor technology conference covering all the aspects of semiconductor technology and manufacturing, including devices, design, lithography, integration, materials, processes, manufacturing as well as emerging semiconductor technologies and silicon material applications. ISTC/CSTIC 2009 was merged by ISTC (International Semiconductor Technology Conference) and CSTIC (China Semiconductor Technology International Conference), the two industry leading technical conferences in China, and consisted of one plenary session and nine technical symposia. This issue of ECS Transactions contains 159 papers from the conference.

Providing cutting-edge research on nanoelectronics and photonic devices and its application in future integrated circuits, this state-of-the-art book tackles the challenges of the different detailed theoretical and analytical models of solving the problems of various nanodevices. The volume also explores from different angles the roles of material composition and choice of materials that now play the most critical role in determining outcomes of low-dimensional nanoelectronic devices. The applications of those findings are extremely beneficial for the computing and telecommunication industries. Beginning with a solid theoretical background for every chapter, this volume covers the hottest areas of present-day electronic engineering. The continuous miniaturization of devices, components, and systems requires corresponding cutting-edge theoretical analysis supported by simulated findings before actual fabrication. That purpose is given maximum focus in this volume, which has interdisciplinary appeal, making it a comprehensive technological volume that deals with underlying aspects of physics, materials, structures in nano-regime, and the corresponding end-product in the form of devices.

This book aims at describing in detail the different layout techniques for remarkably boosting the electrical performance and the ionizing radiation tolerance of planar Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) without adding any costs to the current planar Complementary MOS (CMOS) integrated circuits (ICs) manufacturing processes. These innovative layout styles are based on pn junctions engineering between the drain/source and channel regions or simply MOSFET gate layout change. These interesting layout structures are capable of incorporating new effects in the MOSFET structures, such as the Longitudinal Corner Effect (LCE), the Parallel connection of MOSFETs with Different Channel Lengths Effect (PAMDLE), the Deactivation of the Parallel MOSFETs in the Bird's Beak Regions (DEPAMBBRE), and the Drain Leakage Current Reduction Effect (DLECRE), which are still seldom explored by the semiconductor and CMOS ICs industries. Several three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations and experimental works are referenced in this book to show how these layout techniques can help the designers to reach the analog and digital CMOS ICs specifications with no additional cost. Furthermore, the electrical performance and ionizing radiation robustness of the analog and digital CMOS ICs can significantly be increased by using this gate layout approach.

Sustainable Material Solutions for Solar Energy Technologies: Processing Techniques and Applications provides an overview of challenges that must be addressed to efficiently utilize solar energy. The book explores novel materials and device architectures that have been developed to optimize energy conversion efficiencies and minimize environmental impacts. Advances in technologies for harnessing solar energy are extensively discussed, with topics including materials processing, device fabrication, sustainability of materials and manufacturing, and current state-of-the-art. Leading international experts discuss the applications, challenges, and future prospects of research in this increasingly vital field, providing a valuable resource for students and researchers working in this field. - Explores the fundamentals of sustainable materials for solar energy applications, with in-depth discussions of the most promising material solutions for solar energy technologies: photocatalysis, photovoltaic, hydrogen production, harvesting and storage - Discusses the environmental challenges to be overcome and importance of efficient materials utilization for clean energy - Looks at design materials processing and optimization of device fabrication via metrics such as power-to-weight ratio, effectiveness at EOL compared to BOL, and life-cycle analysis