Three - University of Arkansas Physics Department

50th Electronic Components and Technology Conference, p 1278-84,2000
Curriculum Restructure to Answer Critical Needs in Packaging for Energy Efficiency/'enewable
Energy Systems, Wireless, and Mixed-Signal Systems Areas
W. Brown, A. ~ishabini. S. Ang, J. Balda, F. Barlow, R. ~ouvillion*, A. %lshe', R. Malstrom*, A. Mantooth, T. Martin, H.
Naseem, R. Jones, W. Waite, R. Brown, N. Schmitt,.D. utter', G. Salamo , L. Schaper, W. ~chmidc, R. Selvam+, S. singhe,
K. Olejniczak, R. Ulrichm, J. Yeargan, E. Yaz, and W. White
Electrical Engineering
-
Department
'~echanical Engineering Department, "Physics Department, 'Civil Engineering Department,
+'Industrial Engineering Department, and Chemical Engineering Department
University of Arkansas
3217 Bell Engineering Center
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
Phone: 501-575-300513009 Fax: 501-575-7967
e-mail: wdb@engr.uark.edu
Abstract
The Electrical Engineering Department at University of
Arkansas has been building considerable strength in Energy
EfficiencylRenewable Energy Systems, Mixed-Signal, and
Wireless Packaging areas. This effort is in coordination with
critical other Departments within the College of Engineering;
specifically Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Departments, in addition to the Physics Department within the
College of Arts and Science. The High Density Electronics
Center (HiDEC), established in 1992 with DARF'A funds to
conduct research on advanced electronic packaging
technologies, enables the educators to interact within the various
disciplines to achieve the set objectives of packaging in these
areas. The paper will outline the mission of each area, the vision
and objectives of the administration, the technical issues to be
addressed, the technological challenges and barriers for the
Department to face and overcome to make this vision a true
reality, and the curriculum restructure. The paper will also
outline how critical these strategic areas are for a national
academic institution recognition and fulfillment of critical needs
for our nation's global competitiveness.
1. Introduction and Background
During the past 15 years, remarkable growth in wireless was
promoted by technological, economical, and regulatory factors.
Particularly, the microelectronics revolution has brought an
advent of low cost digital electronics and electronic systems.
The key components of radio transmitters and receivers became
available as low priced integrated circuits with performance
extending to the tens of gigahertz. Cellular telephone technology
created an entire new industry. Meanwhile, optical fibers became
the long distance transmission medium of choice for fixed users,
offering ever increasing bandwidth at a low cost. The whole
concept of communications changed with the birth of the
Internet. Currently, telecommunications means a multimedia
exchange of information between networks of people and
machines. Also, the microelectronics revolution allowed global
access to infordtion. This fact, coupled with the increased
value that society places on individuality and decentralization.
promoted deregulation and increased competition in Qe
telecommunications industry. A rising demand for wireless
services and technology was the direct result of the competition
and consumers demand, since none was willing basically to wait
for a wire to be installed.
One has to realize important facts; the intelligence of
telecommunications used to be in, the hardware with
sophisticated and complex execution of sizeable amount of
analog signal processing, with the bandwidth being a scarce
resource, and computer memory being relatively expensive.
Functions are currently executed digitally, and the hardware
making binary decisions achieve the objectives. Therefore, the
real intelligence'lies in the software. One additional factor,
while analog obeys one standard, three major digital cellulars
still compete in a common territory.
The radio link connecting devices to the remainder of the
world is the common feature that all wireless devices share.
Most wireless devices transmit and receive. The most visible
sector of the wireless industry is associated with mobile and
portable telephones: cellular, Personal Communications Services
(PCS), and satellite based. Cellular telephones operate at
frequencies around 900 MHz and connect to the public switched
telephone network through cell sites that cover geographic areas.
Clearly, users are handed off from one cell site to another as
they move geographically. PCS systems operate around 1800
MHz and have largely developed into a higher frequency form
of cellular. The oldest wireless service was paging, and it is
continuing to grow as competitive features are offered. A
growing use of consumer wireless devices ranging from cordless
telephones, garage door openers, and radio controlled toys is
experienced. These devices consume bandwidth and radiate RF
en&, although they are considered 'low tech' devices. In
embedded radios, wireless replaces a wired link in a manner
transparent to the user, with the cost factor being a prime
concern. Wireless location devices include radio frequency tags
to identify for example laboratory animals, longer range devices
to track cargo, vehicles, and even people, and Global Positioning
Satellite system (GPS) that has revolutionized navigation, with
remarkable cost reduction. Wireless multimedia distribution
systems are still considered in their infancy, but they promise to
grow rapidly. These systems consist of terrestrial microwave
systems such as microwave multipoint distribution systems
(MMDS) at 5 GHz, or local multipoint distribution systems
(LMDS) at 28 GHz, wireless local area networks, or satellite
based systems.
0-7803-590&9/00/$10.00 a000 IEEE 1278 2000 Electronic Components and Technology Conference