Book excerpt: MASTER IC LAYOUT WITHOUT AN ENGINEERING BACKGROUND! Tto new chip applications such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, and consumer electronics, electronic semiconductor usage has exploded, creating an unprecedented demand for technicians skilled in CMOS and bipolar design and layout. In IC LAYOUT BASICS, you get the same top-notch material utilized in IBM’s successful training courses. This essential primerbrings you up to speed on: * Integrated circuit processes * Layout techniques * Fundamental device concepts * Wafer processes Writing for technicians without an engineering degree , the authors present concepts from the ground up, building on the simple until the complex becomes crystal clear. Examples, self-tests, and sidebars reinforce the material and make it all quick and painless. For maximum retention, each chapter includes preview points, "motivation" boxes, and executive summaries.