Future Prospects
After Bell Lab invented transistor in 1947, the big vacuum tube in electronic device was replaced by the pea-size transistors; then, the rapid development of the manufacturing technology of integrated circuit (IC) in 1958 and the semiconductorlater drove the electronic component and circuit into the micro world. Now, there are black micro rooms(square or rectangular) everywhere in the electronic device covered by 2cm-size chip. It can be placed with millions of electronic components,which makes the performance of the laptop nowadays better than the vacuum tube computer that takes up a whole room.
Since nearly half a century before, the development direction of electronic science and technology was nothing more than “micro, quick, vast”: the component becomes small (sub-micrometer); the speed becomes fast (＞100MHz); the circuit becomes big (＞millions of components); the information is abundant(＞terabit), which realize the fully integration of electronic products (computer, communication, consumption). Now, being in 21st century, micro-electronic science and technology open a new page, namely, multi-functionalization– combining micro-electronic science and technology with the industries which did not apply to electronics before, such as (1)micro electronic machine(MEMS): integrates the switch valve, brake and motor with micro electronics. It can be applied in artificial heart and other applications. (2)sensing organs such aselectronic ear and nose: used to assist or replace human organs to conduct voice, biochemistry, sensing etc.; (3)biochip: used to detect virus and immune genes, prevent and treat diseases; (4) optoelectronicintegrated circuit (OEIC): combines various optical technology with electronic technology. Certainly, there are also other pioneering andunpredictabletechnologies and products that are waiting to be developed by talents who are full of imagination and creativity.
